Availability of LGBTQ-related Information at the MUHC’s Glen Site Patient Resource Centres

Objectives: Members of the LGBTQ community, often marginalized by healthcare systems, have distinct information needs. This study aims to determine whether the adult and pediatric book collections of the Patient Resource Centres at the Glen Site of the MUHC in Montreal, QC contain LGBTQ-specific literature, and to what extent.

Methods: Using the publicly available online catalogues for two patient resource centres (PRC), searches for LGBTQ-related literature were completed using relevant MeSH terms and current use/common terminology to reflect probable consumer usage. The results in each catalogue were compared to each other - for each term and overall.

Results: Both catalogues demonstrated low numbers of LGBTQ-specific literature. Gender identity (gender diversity, transgender, etc.) literature was more prominent than sexuality-related information. Overall, the pediatric PRC housed more relevant literature. The low numbers of LGBTQ-specific literature suggest a lack of diversity and inclusion in both collections. The distribution of literature in the pediatric PRC points to the increased relevance of gender identity for childhood development. In general, the concern with gender identity and non-conformity may suggest the perception that these topics are most associated with medical outcomes.

Conclusions: This study identified that these Patient Resource Centre collections had low numbers of LGBTQ-specific print information. Future studies may endeavour to identify the particular needs of this patient/hospital population in order to more effectively gauge the ability of the collections to meet their needs in a consumer health information context. In addition, in keeping with the trends towards digital library transformation and increased concern for diverse and inclusive collections, PRCs may employ this and related future studies to bolster and guide the overhaul of their collections.