Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104987

J. Sevelius, PhD¹, Tooru Nemoto, PhD¹, JoAnne Keatley, MSW², Angel Ventura², and Saumitra SenGupta, PhD³. (1) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of Califonia, San Francisco, 74 New Montgomery St., Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94105, 415-597-9183, jsevelius@psg.ucsf.edu, (2) Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 1145 Bush Street, Second Floor, San Francisco, CA 94109, (3) Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest, 612 Encino Place NE, Suite #250, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Health issues among transgender people are just beginning to be explored by researchers and service providers, primarily focused on male-to-female (MTF) transgender people. Less is known about female-to-male (FTM) transgender people's needs and experiences in the health care system.

This study investigated the current health care needs of this often underserved community and identified barriers to services as well as strategies for improving access. Important information about the lives, identities, and experiences of FTMs receiving health care was also obtained.

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 7 FTM individuals to explore health care needs, with a particular focus on mental health care. Fifty FTM individuals completed quantitative surveys and provided information about a variety of health issues, including depression, suicidality, substance use, hormone use, gender confirmation surgery, and HIV risk behaviors.

This study revealed that the need for sensitive and competent health care for FTM individuals is still relatively unmet. Service providers must be trained to work sensitively and competently with FTMs. FTMs experience high levels of depression, suicidality, and substance use, and services that are tailored to their needs are virtually non-existent. The needs of FTMs differ from those of MTFs, and these differences need to be considered when designing or expanding programs geared toward the transgender community.

Future research must provide accurate and up-to-date information about the health needs of FTMs as well as investigate effective intervention strategies for reducing depression, substance use, and HIV risk behaviors targeting this unique community.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand current identities and experiences in the female-to-male (FTM) transgender community.
• Identify important health issues and health care needs of the FTM community.
• Identify barriers to receiving adequate health care for FTM individuals.
• Identify strategies for improving access to care for FTM individuals, including understanding the difficulties inherent in expanding services primarily geared toward male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals.
• Identify priorities for future research in the FTM community.

Keywords: Underserved Populations, Access to Health Care

Related Web page: www.caps.ucsf.edu/TRANS/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation