IDEAS Climate Survey Measures AT Workplace Gaps

During the second half of 2023, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Advocacy Strategies (IDEAS) Committee facilitated the IDEAS Climate Survey. This study was designed to provide an overview touchpoint of the current workplace climate related to diversity, equity, inclusion and advocacy within the athletic training profession related to patient care and the work environment. The survey targeted Athletic Trainers (ATs) with feedback intended to identify potential gaps in training and resources related to IDEAS overall.

Survey questions were focused in the following areas:

• Workplace Climate
• Barriers
• Educational Needs

ATs from a broad representation of practice settings responded to the survey, with the following groups representing the highest numbers:

Responses to survey questions showed trends related to workplace issues around equity and microaggressions/harassment, as well as ability to provide optimum care to patients. Overall, results denoted that ATs face some issues at work relating to equity and harassment and are looking to feel prepared to handle such situations. In regard to patient care, ATs appear open to additional education to improve their ability to meet patient-specific needs and achieve optimum care.

Following are key takeaways:

• More than 70% of ATs feel their patients ALWAYS have equitable access to services
• Slightly more than 50% of ATs feel they ALWAYS have equity within the workplace
• Nearly 60% of ATs feel they are ALWAYS prepared to handle microaggressions and/or harassment in the workplace
• 65% of workplaces offer diversity, equity and inclusion training
• Nearly 90% of ATs say they had attended workplace training
• Topics covered diversity, gender, LGBTQIA+ and race/ethnicity
• Nearly half of ATs say they SOMETIMES face barriers in their ability to advocate for patients, themselves and colleagues, while nearly half say they NEVER do.

ATs feel most prepared to advocate for patients who are:

• Spiritual beliefs other than own 83%
• BIPOC 83%
• LGBQIA+ 76%
• Physical Disability 67%
• Socio-economic status/food insecurity 65%
• Transgender and/or non-binary 60%

Highest rated topics for desired additional education:

• Serious and persistent mental illness 63%
• History of trauma 61%
• Intellectual/neurocognitive disability 61%
• Autism spectrum disorder 57%
• Foster care of homelessness 57%
• Substance abuse disorder 55%