Interaction strategies of lesbian, gay, and bisexual healthcare practitioners in the clinical examination of patients: qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE To explore how lesbian, gay, and bisexual healthcare practitioners manage their identity in the clinical examination of patients. DESIGN Qualitative study using grounded theory. SETTING Hospital and primary health care. PARTICIPANTS 16 healthcare professionals who identified themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and are involved in the clinical examination of patients. RESULTS Healthcare professionals engage in a complex interplay of identity management strategies to avoid homophobic abuse; as a signal of safety from homophobia and understanding for their lesbian, gay, and bisexual patients and as a desexualisation strategy principally for gay men and their women patients. Their training has not helped them deal with ethical and medicolegal anxieties. CONCLUSION In the light of new legislation, published guidelines will help training and governing bodies understand and help ameliorate the added pressures on their lesbian, gay, and bisexual students and medical staff.