Recent years of research on the subject show that some doctors, nurses, administrators, and health insurance companies have conscious or subconscious feelings toward transgender and transgender nonconforming (TGNC) people. We found that stigma is likely contributing to their poor mental and physical health. But by identifying and correcting these biases, we in the medical community can make a huge positive difference in their lives.
Through numerous surveys and studies, Confirmed this tendency The number of TGNC patients facing intentional or inadvertent discrimination in healthcare settings and the associated health and safety impacts. As a gay man, married man, mother, veteran, and mental health counselor living in the South, I also have personal and professional experience with the inequities that vulnerable populations face in health care settings.
For example, I have professionally counseled many TGNC college students who are reluctant to seek medical care due to the humiliation they experience when visiting clinics and hospitals. Others describe stress and reluctance to obtain health insurance coverage for gender reassignment surgery and other types of medical care.
But in my counseling and research, I also discovered reason for hope. Health care providers, administrators, health insurers, and other gatekeepers of health care access can learn, train, change policies, and remove barriers faced by vulnerable groups so they can achieve the best health and health outcomes. You will have a long-awaited opportunity to pursue happiness.
Discrimination that leads to poor outcomes
The medical biases that endanger the lives of TGNC people have been extensively addressed by the Center for American Progress (CAP). report A 2021 survey showed that 47% of TGNC adults experienced at least one form of discrimination or abuse from a health care provider during a visit, including “rough or abusive physical contact.” I did. As a result, 28% of patients avoided medical care and 40% reported intentionally skipping preventive tests, according to the survey results.
Skipping recommended care for fear of abuse can be just as harmful as being denied care.One reason is that the people at TGNC Increased risk of almost all chronic diseases compared to cisgender people. Chronic disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, so it is sadly no surprise that people with TGNC are also chronically ill. much more likely Dying earlier than cisgender people.
Accessing mental health care, like other care services, can be difficult. In particular, TGNC youth often struggle to find a therapist they feel understands their life experiences and the unique stresses of everyday life. In 2020, 1 in 3 people TGNC youth avoided accessing mental health care for that reason.
change the flow
What I have discovered in both research and practice is that we, as clinicians and health care leaders, contribute to these unfortunate outcomes, but we can also help. Here’s how:
- training: Continuing education regarding the provision of evidence-based care for patients with TGNC is essential. Certainly, CME should emphasize learning more about the unique mental and physical health factors of her TGNC patients, but clinicians could also benefit from training in communication and an understanding of patients’ lived experiences. there is.
- Enabling gender-affirming care: Gender affirming care such as hormone therapy and gender confirmation surgery Improving mental health and well-being Results included lower rates of depression and suicidal ideation in TGNC patients.
- Expanding access to care through virtual care. Virtual care can also effectively expand TGNC patient access services and enhance patient engagement. For example, a study of TGNC youth showed a significant increase in virtual care appointments. more likely to complete (72% vs. 50%) and are less likely to be canceled compared to in-person (21% vs. 46%). Seeking mental health support online also expands the network of available counselors and should help people with TGNC more easily find a therapist they can relate to.
- support: Specifically, for TGNC youth, researchers found that; One empathetic and supportive person You can reduce your risk of suicide in your life to the same level as other cisgender youth in your age group. Providers need to be such advocates.
The cultural, political, and social challenges facing TGNC people can sometimes seem so huge that it can be discouraging to me both personally and professionally. But I also see positive changes in my clients’ mental health and well-being thanks to effective mind and body health care from supportive health care providers, which gives me hope. It gives me. That’s why I believe as an industry, we can significantly improve the lives of TGNC patients by valuing them for who they are and providing them with the quality care they need and deserve.
Photo credit: sasirin pamai, Getty Images
