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Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition Needs Assessment: An Example of Community-Based Research
Methods: Transgender and gender non-conforming people make up a small percentage (>1%) of the greater population and it is difficult to enumerate this population given current demographic data; thus, a convenience sample was used to collect information about barriers to healthcare services. The survey was administered at the Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition (MTHC) Annual Conference, through the MTHC website, and through online list-serves. The survey was anonymous and measured the respondents’ perceived barriers to obtaining care. Of the 182 people who responded to the survey, 144 were above the age of 18 and identified within the transgender communities.
Results: Forty-percent of the respondents identified as trans-masculine, 32% as trans-feminine, and 28% as transgender, genderqueer, two-spirit or other. The majority of respondents indicated the following barriers to care: cost, not having access to gender neutral restrooms, the paperwork at their facility did not reflect their gender identity, they were not confident that their provider would use the correct gender pronouns, difficulty finding a trans-friendly provider, and not being able to find providers knowledgeable on transgender health issues.
Conclusions: Transgender and gender non-conforming people face multiple barriers to receiving culturally competent health care. Some of the barriers that people face are environmental, such as access to transportation and cost of care, while others are in directly related to their transgender identities. Further research is necessary to further access other barriers affecting transgender people.
Learning Areas:
Diversity and cultureLearning Objectives:
Describe community based research process in a transgender community
Identify barriers to care in this transgender community in this assessment
Name health disparities experienced in this community sample
Keyword(s): Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), Community Health Assessment
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I graduated from the University of Minnesota-School of Public Health with an emphasis on LGBTQ health and community health promotion. My research includes community health, intersectionality between health equity and disparities, and social justice. Currently, I work as a WI Population Health Service Fellow conducting a transgender community health assessment, working on data analysis and synthesis, working on LGBTQ tobacco control projects, and supporting LGBT health projects at the Wisconsin State Health Department.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.