TY - JOUR
T1 - Experienced barriers of care within European treatment seeking transgender individuals: A multicenter ENIGI follow-up study
AU - Ross, Maeghan B.
AU - van de Grift, Tim C.
AU - Elaut, Els
AU - Nieder, Timo O.
AU - Becker-Hebly, Inga
AU - Heylens, Gunter
AU - Kreukels, Baudewijntje P. C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Objectives: To evaluate the experienced barriers of care for treatment-seeking trans individuals (TSTG) in three large European clinics. Methods: An online follow-up questionnaire was filled out by 307 TSTG individuals as part of the research protocol of the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence (ENIGI). Data was collected during follow-up in 2017/2018, around 5 years after participants had their initial clinical appointments in Ghent (Belgium), Amsterdam (the Netherlands), or Hamburg (Germany). Background characteristics, country, treatment characteristics and mental health were analyzed in relation to experienced barriers of care (EBOC, measured though agreement with statements). Results: The majority of participants reported various EBOC, oftentimes more than one. The most-frequently reported EBOCs pertained to the lack of family and friends’ support (28.7%, n = 88) and travel time and costs (27.7%, n = 85), whereas around one-fifth felt hindered by treatment protocols. Also, a significant share expressed the feeling that they had to convince their provider they needed care and/or express their wish in such way to increase their likelihood of receiving care. A higher number of EBOCs reported was associated with more mental health problems, lower income and female gender. Conclusions: A substantial number of TSTG individuals within three European health care systems experiences EBOCs. EBOCs relate to both personal and systemic characteristics. These findings can help health care providers and centers to improve care. More research must be done to better understand the diversity among TSTG individuals and the corresponding barriers experienced. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2021.1964409.
AB - Objectives: To evaluate the experienced barriers of care for treatment-seeking trans individuals (TSTG) in three large European clinics. Methods: An online follow-up questionnaire was filled out by 307 TSTG individuals as part of the research protocol of the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence (ENIGI). Data was collected during follow-up in 2017/2018, around 5 years after participants had their initial clinical appointments in Ghent (Belgium), Amsterdam (the Netherlands), or Hamburg (Germany). Background characteristics, country, treatment characteristics and mental health were analyzed in relation to experienced barriers of care (EBOC, measured though agreement with statements). Results: The majority of participants reported various EBOC, oftentimes more than one. The most-frequently reported EBOCs pertained to the lack of family and friends’ support (28.7%, n = 88) and travel time and costs (27.7%, n = 85), whereas around one-fifth felt hindered by treatment protocols. Also, a significant share expressed the feeling that they had to convince their provider they needed care and/or express their wish in such way to increase their likelihood of receiving care. A higher number of EBOCs reported was associated with more mental health problems, lower income and female gender. Conclusions: A substantial number of TSTG individuals within three European health care systems experiences EBOCs. EBOCs relate to both personal and systemic characteristics. These findings can help health care providers and centers to improve care. More research must be done to better understand the diversity among TSTG individuals and the corresponding barriers experienced. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2021.1964409.
KW - Barriers to care
KW - ENIGI
KW - health services accessibility
KW - transgender
KW - transgender health care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114637292&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/26895269.2021.1964409
DO - 10.1080/26895269.2021.1964409
M3 - Article
JO - International Journal of Transgender Health
JF - International Journal of Transgender Health
SN - 2689-5269
ER -