Title of Research
Start Date
18-6-2019 9:00 AM
End Date
18-6-2019 10:30 AM
Abstract
Gender Competence and Quality of Care:
What is the Role of Healthcare Providers in Transgender Healthcare Disparities?
An Integrative Literature Review
Mary Losacco
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth P. Anderson RN, PhD
Background: Unlike cisgender individuals, whose gender identities match the sexes they were given at birth, transgender individuals exhibit gender incongruence, because their gender identities differ from the sexes they were assigned at birth. Transgender individuals are still underrepresented in research and reporting, leading to obstacles in understanding possible health disparities within the community due to lack of recognition and knowledge of these issues. Early recognition by health care providers is paramount in assisting patients and family in dealing with the potential detrimental effects of gender incongruence. Without an improved effort to understand gender identities and their associated health conditions, healthcare quality will suffer.
Objective: To perform an integrated literature review (ILR) to build an evidence-based foundation with the focus of transgender health and the possible prevention of detrimental outcomes. This information will help healthcare professionals provide quality, supportive and patient-centered care to diverse clientele.
Methods: The ILR design by Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was utilized. CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycINFO were the databases used to search for articles relating to these topics. Inclusion criteria for literature included: published articles within the past ten years (2009-2019), peer-reviewed, full-text available, written in English, and including human subjects.
Results: A total of six studies were reviewed and analyzed. The data was found within 2 categories: barriers (1) and intervention needs (2) regarding transgender individuals. Barriers identified: no health insurance, unmet medical care needs, no routine checkup, no usual source of care, poor availability and quality of healthcare, lacking skills and routines related to transgender care, heavy provider workload, discrimination, ignorance, and assumptions. Interventions/facilitators to quality transgender care included collaborating, acknowledging stigma, existence or implementation of inclusive systems, procedures and provider training, holistic care, advocacy, gender awareness, repetition/reminders, motivational triggers, professional ethics, and establishing a presence of safety for Transgender individuals within healthcare environments.
Conclusion: Major limitations: Half of the studies lacked conceptual framework and research done only represents publicly identifying transgender individuals. These findings suggest that research and healthcare are aware of the detrimental barriers that transgender individuals experience in healthcare, but there is a lack of research on effective provider education to implement gender competent education and practices.
Key Terms: Gender Identity, Gender Competence, Gender Incongruence, Transgender, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Perspective, Healthcare, Nursing, Nurses, Quality of Care, Healthcare Disparities.
Included in
Gender Competence and Quality of Care
Gender Competence and Quality of Care:
What is the Role of Healthcare Providers in Transgender Healthcare Disparities?
An Integrative Literature Review
Mary Losacco
Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth P. Anderson RN, PhD
Background: Unlike cisgender individuals, whose gender identities match the sexes they were given at birth, transgender individuals exhibit gender incongruence, because their gender identities differ from the sexes they were assigned at birth. Transgender individuals are still underrepresented in research and reporting, leading to obstacles in understanding possible health disparities within the community due to lack of recognition and knowledge of these issues. Early recognition by health care providers is paramount in assisting patients and family in dealing with the potential detrimental effects of gender incongruence. Without an improved effort to understand gender identities and their associated health conditions, healthcare quality will suffer.
Objective: To perform an integrated literature review (ILR) to build an evidence-based foundation with the focus of transgender health and the possible prevention of detrimental outcomes. This information will help healthcare professionals provide quality, supportive and patient-centered care to diverse clientele.
Methods: The ILR design by Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was utilized. CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycINFO were the databases used to search for articles relating to these topics. Inclusion criteria for literature included: published articles within the past ten years (2009-2019), peer-reviewed, full-text available, written in English, and including human subjects.
Results: A total of six studies were reviewed and analyzed. The data was found within 2 categories: barriers (1) and intervention needs (2) regarding transgender individuals. Barriers identified: no health insurance, unmet medical care needs, no routine checkup, no usual source of care, poor availability and quality of healthcare, lacking skills and routines related to transgender care, heavy provider workload, discrimination, ignorance, and assumptions. Interventions/facilitators to quality transgender care included collaborating, acknowledging stigma, existence or implementation of inclusive systems, procedures and provider training, holistic care, advocacy, gender awareness, repetition/reminders, motivational triggers, professional ethics, and establishing a presence of safety for Transgender individuals within healthcare environments.
Conclusion: Major limitations: Half of the studies lacked conceptual framework and research done only represents publicly identifying transgender individuals. These findings suggest that research and healthcare are aware of the detrimental barriers that transgender individuals experience in healthcare, but there is a lack of research on effective provider education to implement gender competent education and practices.
Key Terms: Gender Identity, Gender Competence, Gender Incongruence, Transgender, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Perspective, Healthcare, Nursing, Nurses, Quality of Care, Healthcare Disparities.