Clarifying contemporary conceptualizations of allyship with LGBTQ2S+ groups in the context of health care or health settings: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this review is to better understand how allyship is defined in the literature from 1970 to the present with regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, and other (LGBTQ2S+) groups within health settings where English is the primary spoken language. Introduction: LGBTQ2S+ individuals experience health inequities rooted in discrimination. Activism to redress this discrimination in health settings is frequently termed allyship. Definitions of allyship, however, remain ambiguous. A clearer understanding of how allyship is defined and operationalized within health settings is integral to supporting the health of LGBTQ2S+ groups. Inclusion criteria: Literature in English from 1970 to the present that utilizes the concept of allyship within health care and/or health settings in relation to LGBTQ2S+ groups in Canada and the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom will be included. Methods: This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Databases to be searched will include MEDLINE (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), APA PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), LGBTQ+ Source (EBSCOhost), Scopus, and Web of Science, along with ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for gray literature. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts, and full-text articles; discrepancies will be resolved by consensus or with a third reviewer. Data will be extracted using an extraction tool developed by the research team. Findings will be presented in tabular/diagram format along with a narrative summary to highlight key themes that relate to contemporary conceptualizations of allyship with LGBTQ2S+ individuals/groups within health care settings and the implications for health professional practice and health outcomes. Review registration: Open Science Framework osf.io/2rek9