Factors Influencing Social Distance of Health, Social and Police Workers to LGBT People in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia

BACKGROUND: Studies in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia region have demonstrated that negative attitudes toward homosexuality pose serious barriers in obtaining social services. Eurasian Coalition on Male Health (ECOM) conducted a regional survey on attitudes of gate keepers from police, healthcare and social care towards LGBT aimed at measuring social distance and prevalence of prejudice towards LGBT people as barriers to these services.

MЕTHODS: A cross sectional survey was conducted in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Macedonia (2017) in local languages. 712 respondents from healthcare, social care and police were recruited through snowball sampling. Social distance to LGBT was measured by Bogardus’ scale and respondents’ estimation of their social status. Data was analysed with bivariate, cluster, and regression analysis.

RESULTS: 57% respondents were women, median age 38, 77% religious, median work duration 11 years; 45% of medical and 41% of social workers had clients from LGBT. Social and medical workers are less distanced to LGBT than police. 59% social workers, 23% medical workers and 5% police workers accept same-sex marriage. 43% social workers, 10% medical workers and none of police workers accept children adoption by same-sex couples. Several factors influence respondents’ level of social distance and readiness to accept equality: higher age is associated with higher social distance; being medical or social workers is strongly associated with bigger social distance; the more respondents interact with LGBT, the less distance they have and the greater their readiness is to accept equality; belonging to Islam is associated with higher prevalence of prejudice towards LGBT.

CONCLUSIONS: LGBT program implementation Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Macedonia faces high opposition from local social services. Importance of human rights as an integral part of effective health services may be underestimated.

Moskotina R. et al. Study on the Attitudes of Staff of Key Social Services of Five Countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia towards LGBT People, Conducted within the Framework of ECOM's Regional Program "Right to Health" / R. Moskotina, N. Dmitruk, O. Trofimenko, Y. Privalov, M. Kasianczuk / The Eurasian Coalition on Male Health. — Tallinn, 2017. — 94 p.