StigmatizationNCT06434805
An Education Initiative to Reduce Stigma Towards Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities Among Nursing Students
A study testing sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop in people with Stigmatization and Sex Work, run by Hong Kong Metropolitan University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
Background: Sex workers and sexual minorities (SWSM) often encounter barriers when accessing healthcare services due to social stigma and discrimination. In Hong Kong, stigma and prejudice exist among nurses and nursing students toward SWSM. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Stigmatization, Sex Work, Homosexuality
- What is being tested?
- sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 32 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 14 Jul 2024to 14 Sep 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- aged 18 years of age or above;
- studying in the clinical phase (i.e., year 3 to year 5);
- are able to speak, read, and write Cantonese or Putonghua;
- are willing to participate in the study and share their experience of the education initiative with the research group;
- have informed consent to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Those who have completed a similar workshop or discussion of sex workers and sexual minorities in previous nursing education will be excluded from this study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: An Education Initiative to Reduce Stigma Towards Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities Among Nursing Students: a Pilot Study
Background: Sex workers and sexual minorities (SWSM) often encounter barriers when accessing healthcare services due to social stigma and discrimination. In Hong Kong, stigma and prejudice exist among nurses and nursing students toward SWSM.
Aims: This education initiative aims to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical competence of nursing students in caring for SWSM.
Read more
Methods: This pilot study will employ a one-group pre-and post-test design. Convenience sampling will be used to recruit 32 nursing students from the clinical phase of the Bachelor of Nursing program at the School of Nursing and Health Studies of Hong Kong Metropolitan University, as well as nursing students from other local universities. The intervention will consist of a four-session one-day workshop based on social cognitive theory and interpersonal contact theory. The workshop will cover various topics, including terminologies, human rights, stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, contact with SWSM, and skills building. The primary outcome measure will include participants' attitudes toward SWSM. Secondary outcome measures included their knowledge and clinical competence. These outcome measurements will be assessed at baseline (T0) and immediately after the intervention (T1) and two months follow up (T2). Additionally, focus group discussions will be carried out to explore participants' experiences of the intervention.
Discussion: Findings from this study could contribute to the existing knowledge on stigma surrounding SWSM in Hong Kong and its impact on healthcare. The intervention is expected to increase the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of nursing students in providing care for SWSM. By promoting non-judgmental and equitable care, the research aims to contribute to the overall well-being and health outcomes of SWSM. These results will inform future nursing education curricula and clinical practice, facilitating the development of more inclusive and patient-centered care for marginalized populations in Hong Kong and beyond.
- Conditions
- Stigmatization, Sex Work, Homosexuality, Transgenderism
- Being tested
- sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop
- Keywords
- gender and sexual minority, sex workers, cultural competency, nursing students
- Medical subject headings
- Stereotyping, Sex Work, Homosexuality, Transsexualism, Coitus
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
sex workers and sexual minorities education workshopOther
The participants will receive a one-day workshop (four sessions). The generic content aims at enhancing the understanding of sexual orientation, gender identities, social stigma, sex work and sexual orientation and human rights (session 1), the lived experience of SWSM (session 2), the content specifically related to the medical and healthcare field, including be familiar with the professional and ethical obligations (session 3), the skills that can be adopted when providing services to SWSM (session 4).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Education workshop | Other | This is a one-day workshop with four sessions. Receives: Other: sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
LGBT development of clinical skills scale (LGBT-DOCSS)
LGBT-DOCSS will be used to assess nursing students' clinical skills in caring for sexual minorities. It includes 18 items crossing three domains: clinical preparedness, attitudinal attitudes, and basic knowledge. A 7-point Likert-type scale was used, with 1 = not at all true, 4 = somewhat true, and 7 = total true. The total score ranges from 18 to 126. Higher scores are indicative of higher levels of clinical preparedness and rudimentary knowledge and less prejudicial attitudinal awareness regarding LGBT clients/patients. LGBT-DOCSS was back-and-forth translated by the research team.
Measured: baseline, immediately after the intervention, 2-months post-intervention
Secondary outcomes (1)
Acceptability of the workshop
Participants' acceptability of the workshop was assessed using self-developed questionnaire consisting 10 items. Each item was rated on a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Example of the items included evaluations of the appropriateness, relevance, diversity, and interest of the content, and participants' confidence in caring for LGBTQ+ people after the workshop, their overall satisfaction with the experience, and their willingness to recommend it to others.
Measured: baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 2-month follow-up.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 May 2024
- Study start14 Jul 2024
- Primary completion14 Jul 2024
- Study completion14 Sep 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for StigmatizationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- A single group with outcome assessments will be taken at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 2-month follow-up.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr Polly MA Haixia, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06434805
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HE-NHS2024/02
- Status last verified
- Nov 2024
- First submitted
- 18 May 2024
- Last updated
- 13 May 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Participants' privacy, confidentiality, and voluntary participation of the study will be ensured. Participants' information will be kept in a password-protected computer. Only the research team could access the original data.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- An Education Initiative to Reduce Stigma Towards Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities Among Nursing Students: a Pilot Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06434805
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HE-NHS2024/02
- Conditions
- Stigmatization, Sex Work, Homosexuality, Transgenderism
- Keywords
- gender and sexual minority, sex workers, cultural competency, nursing students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hong Kong Metropolitan UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 14 Jul 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Jul 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 14 Sep 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 30 May 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Background: Sex workers and sexual minorities (SWSM) often encounter barriers when accessing healthcare services due to social stigma and discrimination. In Hong Kong, stigma and prejudice exist among nurses and nursing students toward SWSM.
Aims: This education initiative aims to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical competence of nursing students in caring for SWSM.
Methods: This pilot study will employ a one-group pre-and post-test design. Convenience sampling will be used to recruit 32 nursing students from the clinical phase of the Bachelor of Nursing program at the School of Nursing and Health Studies of Hong Kong Metropolitan University, as well as nursing students from other local universities. The intervention will consist of a four-session one-day workshop based on social cognitive theory and interpersonal contact theory. The workshop will cover various topics, including terminologies, human rights, stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, contact with SWSM, and skills building. The primary outcome measure will include participants' attitudes toward SWSM. Secondary outcome measures included their knowledge and clinical competence. These outcome measurements will be assessed at baseline (T0) and immediately after the intervention (T1) and two months follow up (T2). Additionally, focus group discussions will be carried out to explore participants' experiences of the intervention.
Discussion: Findings from this study could contribute to the existing knowledge on stigma surrounding SWSM in Hong Kong and its impact on healthcare. The intervention is expected to increase the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of nursing students in providing care for SWSM. By promoting non-judgmental and equitable care, the research aims to contribute to the overall well-being and health outcomes of SWSM. These results will inform future nursing education curricula and clinical practice, facilitating the development of more inclusive and patient-centered care for marginalized populations in Hong Kong and beyond.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- A single group with outcome assessments will be taken at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 2-month follow-up.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Education workshop | Other | Other: sex workers and sexual minorities education workshopThis is a one-day workshop with four sessions. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- aged 18 years of age or above;
- studying in the clinical phase (i.e., year 3 to year 5);
- are able to speak, read, and write Cantonese or Putonghua;
- are willing to participate in the study and share their experience of the education initiative with the research group;
- have informed consent to participate in the study.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Those who have completed a similar workshop or discussion of sex workers and sexual minorities in previous nursing education will be excluded from this study.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| sex workers and sexual minorities education workshopThe participants will receive a one-day workshop (four sessions). The generic content aims at enhancing the understanding of sexual orientation, gender identities, social stigma, sex work and sexual orientation and human rights (session 1), the lived experience of SWSM (session 2), the content specifically related to the medical and healthcare field, including be familiar with the professional and ethical obligations (session 3), the skills that can be adopted when providing services to SWSM (session 4). | Other | Education workshop |
Primary outcome
LGBT development of clinical skills scale (LGBT-DOCSS)
Time frame: baseline, immediately after the intervention, 2-months post-intervention
LGBT-DOCSS will be used to assess nursing students' clinical skills in caring for sexual minorities. It includes 18 items crossing three domains: clinical preparedness, attitudinal attitudes, and basic knowledge. A 7-point Likert-type scale was used, with 1 = not at all true, 4 = somewhat true, and 7 = total true. The total score ranges from 18 to 126. Higher scores are indicative of higher levels of clinical preparedness and rudimentary knowledge and less prejudicial attitudinal awareness regarding LGBT clients/patients. LGBT-DOCSS was back-and-forth translated by the research team.
1 secondary outcome
Acceptability of the workshop
Time frame: baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 2-month follow-up.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 May 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Participants' privacy, confidentiality, and voluntary participation of the study will be ensured. Participants' information will be kept in a password-protected computer. Only the research team could access the original data.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop in people with Stigmatization and Sex Work, run by Hong Kong Metropolitan University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
LGBT development of clinical skills scale (LGBT-DOCSS) (time frame: baseline, immediately after the intervention, 2-months post-intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 May 2025.