Promoting LGBTQ Health and Well-being:
a Focus Group Study with the HKLGBT Medical Society
Update: The focus group study has been conducted. Thank you for your support!
Introduction:
Around the globe, health disparities are observed between the LGBTQ+ community and the general public. The Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society (the Society) is conducting a comprehensive needs assessment for LGBTQ health promotion in Hong Kong.
As part of the assessment, this focus group study involves health professionals and students who self-identify as belonging to the LGBTQ+ community.
Principal Investigators
Prof Yiu-tung SUEN, Assistant Professor and Graduate Division Head at the Gender Studies Programme, Faculty of Social Science, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
Dr Sam Wing-sum LI, Steering Committee, Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society
This study is partially funded by the Dr TY Chau Training and Research Scholarship of the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine.
Ethics approval for this study has been obtained from Survey and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (SBREC), CUHK (Reference No. SBRE-20-873)
Description of the study:
The objectives of the study are
to explore participants’ experience, expectations and aspirations related to gender-friendly health services in Hong Kong; and
to identify policy recommendations for promoting LGBTQ health and well-being in Hong Kong.
Procedure & questions to be asked:
All study participants will remain anonymous throughout the study. As part of the infection control measures, surgical masks must be worn.
The focus group discussions will be held in private meeting venue, lasting around 2 hours and guided by facilitators.
Audio is recorded during focus groups and transcribed for analysis purpose. Audio recording will be destroyed 6 months after the completion of study.
Discussion questions will be shared with participants before the study. Participants will be asked to share their perception and recommendations for promoting LGBTQ health and well-being in Hong Kong.
Target participants:
Participants are recruited via the networks of the Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society, targeting a mix of working health / healthcare professionals and students in Hong Kong aged 18 years old or above who self-identify as belonging to the LGBTQ+ community.
Risks:
During the discussion, participants’ own experience of discrimination will also be explored.
Benefits:
The study finding will inform a comprehensive needs assessment for promoting LGBTQ health and well-being in Hong Kong.
Compensation:
Upon completing the focus group discussion, each participant will be provided with 100HKD cash coupon.
Information protection:
All study participants will remain anonymous throughout the study.
Contact information (such as phone number and emails) and background information (such as profession and year of practice / study) will be collected via online survey tool and kept confidential.
Voluntary participation:
The participation is voluntary. Participants can cease to participate at any stage of the study.
Alternative one-on-one ZOOM interview:
If you are unable to join the focus group, please consider participating in our one-on-one ZOOM interview. Our investigators will arrange a 30-45min session of semi-structured interview with you at a time of your convenience.
Contact details:
About the investigators:
Yiu-tung SUEN (He/him/his) (DPhil Oxford) is Assistant Professor of the Gender Studies Programme and Founding Director of the Sexualities Research Programme, Chinese University of Hong Kong, which is the first and foremost research programme in Hong Kong that focuses on LGBT+ law and policy research. He is also Adjunct Assistant Professor (by courtesy) at the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care. Internationally Prof Suen has consulted and written reports for the United Nations Development Programme and the International Labour Organization, and advises the Asian Development Bank for their research. Locally he has led the largest-scale research in Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission’s history of commissioned research. He is an Adviser and Past Vice-Chairperson of AIDS Concern Hong Kong, in addition to giving advice to organizations in numerous sectors informally. He believes in the power of empirical evidence to debunk myths about sexual and gender minorities. Prof Suen frequently addresses a wide range of audiences including policy makers, business leaders, lawyers, health care professionals, and service providers. He has worked with a variety of sectors as diverse as business, law, hospitality, fashion and more. His research has been covered by international media such as the BBC, Bloomberg, Financial Times, New York Times and Reuters.
Dr Sam Wing-sum LI (He/him/his) is a medical doctor and trainee in public health medicine. Having been a research intern at World Health Organization Health Systems Cluster (Geneva), as well as United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Amman), he has strong interests in health system strengthening and minority healthcare. He was also an initiator and commissioner in Lancet Youth Commission on Essential Medicines Policies, which published on recommendations to make medicines available and affordable worldwide. Dr Li obtained his MBChB degree in CUHK, as well as LLM (Technology and Intellectual Property Law) in HKU. Currently, he is studying part time to pursue MSc in Global Health Policy at LSHTM. In the Hong Kong LGBT Medical Society, he is volunteering as a Steering Group member.