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Medical School Learning Environment and Quality of Life among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Second-year Medical Students of Color

Mains-Mason, Janke (2020) Medical School Learning Environment and Quality of Life among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Second-year Medical Students of Color. Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.

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Abstract

Background: Literature rarely explores learning environment and well-being outcomes specific to LGB medical students, medical students of color, and LGB medical students of color.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of demographic, student-faculty interaction, student-student interaction, learning environment emotional climate, and quality of life by sexual orientation and racial identity using data from the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Year 2 Questionnaire. We ran Multivariate Analysis of Variance models for learning environment outcomes and Univariate Analysis of Variance models for quality of life. We ran all models at 95% confidence and included sex, age, school region, and in-person attendance as covariates. We investigated association between perceptions of learning environment and quality of life using Multivariable Linear Regression.

Results: Eight percent (n=2767) of 34,679 second-year medical students were LGB, 41.3% (n=1144) of whom were students of color. LGB students had lower perceptions of student-faculty (CI: -0.49, -0.23; p<0.001) and student-student (CI: -0.49, -0.23; p=0.002) interactions than their heterosexual peers. These effects were exacerbated among Asian, Black, and Underrepresented Multiracial LGB students having poorer student-faculty interactions (all p<0.01) compared with white LGB peers, and Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Underrepresented Multiracial LGB students having poorer student-student interactions compared with white LGB peers (all p<0.05). LGB medical students had worse perceptions of learning environment emotional climate (CI: -0.72, -0.48; p<0.001) and reported lower well-being (CI: -2.52, -1.74; p<0.001) compared to heterosexual students. There were no significant differences in emotional climate and well-being by racial groups among LGB people.
Perceptions of learning environment were significantly associated with quality of life score, with few moderations by sexual orientation and racial identities.
Conclusions: Further research is required to understand the etiology of poorer outcomes among students with minoritized social identities, with a focus on the intersections of racism and heterosexism. Further research should act to ameliorate these inequities.

Significance: The public health significance of this thesis is to add to quality of life literature by: (a) including data from a national dataset; (b) investigating presence of well-being, not just absence of mental illness; (c) identifying structural learning environment outcomes that could impact quality of life; and (d) situating results specifically among LGB people of color. We hope our long-term public health impact will be to provide a path towards improving the health and well-being of LGB medical students of color.


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Details

Item Type: Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper (Master Essay)
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Mains-Mason, Jankejbm88@pitt.edujbm88
Contributors:
ContributionContributors NameEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Committee ChairBrown, Andreabrown7@pitt.eduabrown7UNSPECIFIED
Committee MemberEckstrand, Kristeneckstrandkl@upmc.edueckstrandklUNSPECIFIED
Date: 19 June 2020
Date Type: Submission
Number of Pages: 74
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: School of Public Health > Behavioral and Community Health Sciences
Degree: MPH - Master of Public Health
Thesis Type: Master Essay
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: Medical Education Learning Environment Quality of Life Sexual and Gender Minorities Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Date Deposited: 31 Aug 2020 15:52
Last Modified: 01 Jul 2021 05:15
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/39240

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