Factors Associated with Health Care Discrimination Experiences among a National Sample of Female-to-Male Transgender Individuals

Abstract

Transgender individuals experience harassment, violence, and discrimination in a number of settings. Although health care discrimination against transgender people has been documented, this issue is understudied. Using a national cross-sectional survey data set (N = 1,711), the authors sought to determine how gender identity and presentation predict health care discrimination experiences among female-to-male (FTM) transgender people after demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are controlled. Analyses were conducted using chi-square tests and a two-step logistic regression. The majority of participants were white (73.9 percent) and between 25 and 44 years old (65.2 percent). Overall, 41.8 percent of FTM participants reported verbal harassment, physical assault, or denial of equal treatment in a doctor's office or hospital. When other factors were controlled, being Native American or multiracial, identifying as queer or asexual/other, having a graduate degree, living full-time as nonbirth gender, using hormones or surgery for medical transition, and having identification documents that list one's preferred gender were associated with increased reporting of health care discrimination experiences; being 45 years or older and reporting an annual income of $60,000 or more were associated with decreased risk. The study's findings can be useful to social workers, who play a role in educating health care providers and advocating for policies that improve health care experiences for FTM and other transgender patients.

Health, disability and quality of life among trans people in Sweden–a web-based survey

“…Negative health care experiences were, in addition, found to be associated with poor self-rated health, self-reported disability and lower quality of life. Barriers in accessing health care among trans people is well documented in previous studies [17, 37, 42]. Cruz found that postponement in seeking health care among trans people is mainly caused due to experiences of discrimination [17].…”

A Literature Review of Cervical Cancer Screening in Transgender Men

“…FTM individuals face unique psychological challenges related to gynecologic examinations and Pap testing, and providers lack the knowledge and training to be appropriately equipped to ameliorate these interactions . Additionally, FTM individuals currently face greater rates of health care discrimination, barriers to care, and denial of services (Cruz, 2014;Jaffee et al, 2016;James et al, 2016;Shires & Jaffee, 2015), and health care providers lack knowledge, training, and expertise to provide appropriate care (Unger, 2015).…”

Transgender peoples’ experiences and perspectives about general healthcare: A systematic review

“…Studies rated as poor or satisfactory failed to discuss researchers' reflexivity to a satisfactory standard; however, this was the only criteria where studies rated as satisfactory did not meet the criteria for good quality (Bauer et al, 2009;Lindroth, 2016;Taylor, 2013;Vermeir, Jackson, & Marshall, 2018;von Vogelsang, Milton, Ericsson, & Strömberg, 2016;Westerbotn et al, 2017). Two quantitative studies were appraised as good (Bauer, Zong, Scheim, Hammond, & Thind, 2015;Shires & Jaffee, 2015). Costa et al (2018) was appraised as satisfactory overall.…”