Educational interventions for healthcare professionals caring for 2SLGBTQ+ older adults: A scoping review.
Abstract
AIM/
Objective
To identify educational interventions for healthcare professionals caring for 2SLGBTQ + older adults and describe their content, outcomes, and limitations.
Background
2SLGBTQ + older adults experience health inequities shaped by lifelong stigma, discrimination, heteronormativity, cisnormativity, and mistreatment in healthcare. Although educational interventions support healthcare professionals caring for 2SLGBTQ + people, less is known about interventions specific to 2SLGBTQ + older adults.
Design
A scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute method and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR
Methods
MEDLINE, CINAHL, and APA PsycINFO were searched on July 21, 2025. Eligible sources were peer-reviewed original research, including abstracts and conference proceedings, describing developed educational interventions or tools for healthcare professionals caring for 2SLGBTQ + adults aged 50 years and older. Records were managed in Covidence. Charted data were synthesized narratively. Qualitative and descriptive data were coded inductively in NVivo 14.
Results
After de-duplication, 1476 records were screened and 17 studies were included. Interventions commonly addressed cultural competence, cultural humility, inclusive communication, health disparities, historical and social contexts, sexuality and aging, transgender older adult care, and organizational inclusivity. Active learning strategies included storytelling, case studies, theatre, documentaries, simulation, role-play, and reflection. Reported outcomes included increased knowledge, improved attitudes, greater awareness, empathy, confidence, and intended practice change. Educational research limitations included short-term evaluation, heterogeneous measures, small samples, and limited evidence of sustained behavioural or organizational change.
Conclusions
Educational interventions may support affirming care for 2SLGBTQ + older adults, but future interventions should be longitudinal, skills-based, informed by lived experience, and supported by organizational change.