The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #43019

Judith Bradford, PhD, The Fenway Institute, 7 Haviland St., Boston, MA 02113, 617-927-6025, jbbradfo@vcu.edu, Tracey L. Rogers, PhD, Department of Research and Evaluation, Fenway Community Health, 16 Haviland St, Boston, MA 02115, and Wilson Lo, MBA, MA, Research & Evaluation Department, Fenway Community Health, 7 Haviland Street, Boston, MA 02115.

The Core Data Project is part of Fenway Community Health’s agency-wide foundation for service planning and evaluation: a data warehouse containing evaluation data for all services provided at FCH for use in future LGBT research, advocacy and program planning/development. Core data elements are collected across all departments to identify key characteristics of the FCH patient population, emphasizing how experiences vary by sexual orientation and gender identity. Core data are treated with the same respect for confidentiality as all clinical information and kept secured in a separate database in our electronic medical record system. Core data can be linked with electronic medical record data under strict conditions of security and with client informed consent. During a six months pilot study, data were collected on 1,672 unique individuals. Key variables previously uncollected in any routine method: sexual orientation, lifetime and current substance use, history of suicidal thoughts, domestic violence, history of sexual abuse and hate crimes. Primary lessons learned: 1) Building agency and department support; 2) Developing the data collection instrument; and 3) Evaluation of technological readiness and needs. Key findings from this clinical population: sexual minority men and women reported significantly higher risks than their heterosexual counterparts. Transgender clients were far more likely to report suicide attempts and partner violence. Differences were also observed based on age, gender, and race. In addition to facilitating better understanding of patient needs and service availability, this project addresses goals set forth in Healthy People 2010 to improve the collection of data on sexual minorities.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be able to

• assess the probable costs and likely benefits of implementing uniform intake for key data about LGBT populations.
• estimate the degree of effort and length of time needed to develop a similar process within their own setting(s).
• understand the relationships among sexual orientation and gender identity with substance use, victimization, and experiences of violence in an LGBT health center population.

Keywords: Data Collection, Health Centers

Related Web page: www.fenwayhealth.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Fenway Community Health
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employee