TPOC do not face systems of oppression in isolation. In recognition of these complexities, we take an intersectional approach to the healthcare experiences of TPOC. Uncomfortable in a healthcare location serving a predominately white transgender population, and marginalized in a clinic serving mostly cisgender African-American patients, he might then avoid treatment altogether, thereby resulting in poorer health outcomes. 2 While the USTS offers write-in responses, it mostly comprises closed-ended questions that limit exploration of how healthcare experiences of TPOC impact their health outcomes.įor instance, an African-American transgender man may experience discrimination based on his race, and be misgendered in an appointment with a white cisgender provider. For example, black transgender women reported higher HIV prevalence rates compared with the overall transgender sample, and TPOC reported higher rates of attempted suicide and lack of health insurance. 8, 9, 10 For instance, the US Transgender Survey (USTS), a 2015 nationwide survey with 27,715 transgender respondents, illuminates important health inequities. The limited literature suggests that individuals who are both transgender and racial/ethnic minorities suffer from poorer health outcomes, compared with their single minority counterparts. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 While both racial/ethnic minority and transgender patients disproportionately report negative healthcare experiences compared with their white and cisgender counterparts, respectively, little is known about the healthcare experiences of transgender people of color (TPOC). Providers must improve understanding of intersectional experiences of TPOC to improve quality of care.ĭiscrimination and prejudice in healthcare settings against transgender people and racial/ethnic minorities, as separate social groups, are well-documented. TPOC have different experiences compared with white transgender or cisgender racial/ethnic minorities. When describing positive healthcare experiences, participants were most likely to highlight providers’ respect for their gender identity.
A minority of participants expressed a preference for providers of color but a few reported reluctance to reveal their gender identity to providers of their own race due to fear of transphobia. A majority of participants sought out healthcare locations designated as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)-friendly in an effort to avoid discrimination, but feared experiencing racism there. Participants commonly cited providers’ assumptions about TPOC as a pivotal factor in negative experiences. A majority of participants believed they would be treated better if they were cisgender or white. Key ResultsĪll participants described healthcare experiences where providers responded negatively to their race/ethnicity and/or gender identity. The quantitative survey data captured participants’ demographics and past healthcare experiences, and were analyzed with descriptive statistics. At least two reviewers independently coded each transcript using a codebook of themes created following grounded theory methodology. The interviews and focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and imported into HyperRESEARCH software.
Interviews and focus groups covered healthcare experiences, and how these were shaped by gender identity and/or race/ethnicity. All participants completed a quantitative survey ( n = 39). Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews ( n = 22) and focus groups (2 n = 17 total) all taken from a sample of TPOC from the Chicago area. To investigate how TPOC healthcare experiences are shaped by both race/ethnicity and gender identity. However, little is known about the healthcare experiences of transgender people of color (TPOC), who are both transgender and racial/ethnic minorities. Transgender people and racial/ethnic minorities separately report poor healthcare experiences.
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