The design and evaluation of a training program on culturally competent psychosocial care provision for men who have sex with men in Senegal

Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience a high degree of discrimination and marginalization in Senegal. Homophobia is pervasive in Senegalese society at the cultural, religious, and political levels. Its effects are reflected in the disproportionately high levels of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse among men who have sex with men when compared to the general population. Given the widespread stigma and the lack of structural support, healthcare providers play a critical role in reconciling the physical and psychological needs of men who have sex with men. This led to the design of a training program that aimed to improve the capacity of healthcare providers to deliver MSM-competent psychosocial care. The training was delivered virtually to 37 Senegal-based nurses and physicians. The program was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated using pre- and post-testing. The findings demonstrate a general post-training increase in knowledge acquisition (9. 23%, p-value = 0.0021) and a 6.39% reduction in homophobia, which was statistically significant (p = 0.0376); with male providers outperforming female providers, and physicians outperforming nurses. This demonstrates the effectiveness and applicability of the program to support the psychosocial needs of men who have sex with men, and its capacity for future and broader implementation among healthcare providers.

Automated summary

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Senegal face discrimination and marginalization due to widespread homophobia. This leads to higher levels of mental health issues among MSM compared to the general population. Healthcare providers are crucial in addressing the physical and psychological needs of MSM and a training program was designed to enhance their competence in providing psychosocial care. The program was found to be effective in increasing knowledge acquisition and reducing homophobia, with male providers and physicians performing better than their female counterparts.