Identify and explain one issue regarding the treatment of transgender persons in the health-care system.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

(1) Research on transgender health issues is limited. Large-scale studies that assess the risk for particular diseases or clinical trials of treatments within the transgender population remain scarce. (2) Of the existing medical research, transgender persons are often objectified and/or misgendered. In particular, medical research has long prioritized gender assigned at birth. (3) Structural factors--such as poverty, incarceration, and gaps in insurance coverage--limit access to health care for multiply marginalized groups. For example, many insurance plans do not cover expensive gender-affirming therapies, and transgender persons who are also low-income, incarcerated, or people of color are especially likely to lack access to affordable and adequate health care. (4) Discrimination and prejudice create barriers to health care for many transgender persons. Some people who are transgender are denied health care and face harassment because of their gender identity. (5) Access to gender-affirming therapy is limited by the shortage of medical doctors who are knowledgeable about and comfortable providing care to transgender persons. Currently, most medical school curricula do not address transgender health issues.