Few clinicians have received training to provide comprehensive primary care for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people. This article describes the program design and evaluation outcomes of TransECHO, a national professional development program for training primary care teams on the provision of affirming integrated medical and behavioral health care for TGD people. TransECHO is based on Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), a tele-education model that aims to reduce health disparities and increase access to specialty care in underserved areas.
New Article: Addressing the Physical and Mental Impacts of Postsurgical Scarring Among Transgender and Gender Diverse People
Few studies have considered the diverse mental and physical health impacts of scarring among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients after medically necessary gender-affirming surgery (GAS). For some TGD patients, post-GAS scarring may exacerbate gender dysphoria. For others, it is a physical representation of authenticity. The dearth of research or validated instruments capturing the diversity of priorities and concerns pre- and post-GAS hinders providers' ability to deliver optimal clinical care throughout the gender-affirmation process and impedes progress for evidence-based policy change regarding post-GAS scar treatment. This article provides suggestions for future research directions to address post-GAS scar-related health needs.
- Filed under
- Transgender Health
New Article: The Context, Science and Practice of Gender-Affirming Care
In “The Context, Science and Practice of Gender-Affirming Care,” commentary authors Alex S. Keuroghlian, JoAnne Keatley, Simran Shaikh and Asa E. Radix, posit that gender-affirming care for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people should be inclusive, community led and evidence informed to support mental health and wellbeing. This article outlines the evolution of gender-affirming care since the 1930s and emphasizes psychological, social, legal, medical and surgical affirmation within the contexts of culturally responsive healthcare environments, as well as broader policies and laws that support and protect gender diversity locally, nationally and globally.
- Filed under
- Behavioral Health
- Transgender Health
New Article: Moving Beyond Psychiatric Gatekeeping for Gender-Affirming Surgery
In “Moving Beyond Psychiatric Gatekeeping for Gender-Affirming Surgery,” commentary authors Drs. Alex S. Keuroghlian and Catherine A. Wu offer a discussion of the phenomenon of clinical gatekeeping in the context of accessing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) or gender-affirming surgery (GAS), in contrast to what might be considered reasonable precautions to ensure candidacy. The article details the recent changes in requirement guidance issued by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) “Standards of Care for the Health of Transgender and Gender Diverse People, Version 8” (SOC8), and the way in which this shift reflects a move towards an informed consent model for gender-affirming care. The article authors offer their recommendations for an optimized informed consent approach to GAS to further mitigate the harms of psychiatric gatekeeping.
- Filed under
- Behavioral Health
- Transgender Health
Appearance on Pride In Our Health Podcast
The Fenway Institute's Dr. Jennifer Potter and Dr. Alex Keuroghlian appeared on the most recent episode of Fenway Health's Pride In Our Health podcast to discuss Transgender and Gender Diverse Health Care: The Fenway Guide, the first case-based textbook to address the comprehensive health care needs of transgender and gender diverse adults. You can find out more and listen to the podcast (~26m) here.
- Filed under
- Transgender Health
New Study Finds That Health Care Providers And Transgender Patients In The Rural Northeast Believe Systems-Level Changes In Health Care Settings Are Needed To Improve Quality Of Care
A study published this month in PLOS ONE examined the perspectives of health care staff about their experiences working with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients and the perspectives of TGD community members about their access to and experiences of health care. Findings from the study underscore the need to address the priorities of both TGD patients and providers when devising strategies to improve the quality of care. Authored by researchers at The Fenway Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School), Boston University School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, , and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “Understanding community member and health care professional perspectives on gender-affirming care—A qualitative study” adds new knowledge to the growing body of research on barriers to gender-affirming health care by focusing on the experiences of health care staff and TGD community members who live and work in rural areas.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
- Transgender Health
2021 Transgender Health Conference
Registration is now open for the 7th Annual Advancing Excellence in Transgender Health Conference. Click through to learn more and register today!
- Filed under
- Transgender Health
2021 Trans Health Conference Registration is Open
Join us for the 7th annual Advancing Excellence in Transgender Health Conference!
This years' conference will take place virtually October 1st-3rd, 2021.
- Filed under
- Transgender Health
In the News: Gender-affirming surgery linked to better mental health
Transgender people who have access to gender-affirming surgery report better mental health outcomes, according to a new study. The report, published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery, compared the psychological distress levels, suicide risk and substance use in transgender and gender diverse people who had undergone gender-affirming surgery with those who wanted such procedures but had not yet had them. “This study adds to a growing body of evidence showing affirmation in all forms can be life-saving for trans and gender-diverse people,” said lead author Anthony Almazan, a fourth-year medical student at Harvard Medical School. “Policies that limit access to care can put lives at risk. Our evidence shows we should be expanding gender-affirming care, not limiting it.” You can read the NBC story here.
- Filed under
- Behavioral Health
- Transgender Health
