Beyond the Binary: Sexual and Reproductive Health Considerations for Transgender and Gender Expansive Adolescents

Awareness and visibility of transgender individuals have grown exponentially. However, conceptualizing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) as “women's” or “men's” health services further marginalizes transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) youth. Multiple reviews and commentaries have been published on the topic of SRH care for adults under the umbrella term of sexual and gender minorities, all with a call to action for more inclusive care and the need for more clinical research involving TGE individuals, and notably, TGE youth. Results from adult TGE studies are often translated to describe adolescent models. However, models specific to adolescent TGE populations are needed to understand their unique SRH needs. This review will describe the current literature relating to SRH needs of TGE youth and adults, highlighting key areas with significant disparities in need of further research. This comprehensive summary will also provide recommendations for clinicians and researchers with the goal of improving SRH care and obtaining wider representation in both clinical settings and research directed toward TGE youth.

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Health care of sexual and gender minorities: an integrative literature review

Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/0034-7167-2019-0192 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 73 (suppl 6) ◽

Author(s):

Jedison Feliciano Silva ◽

Gabriela Maria Cavalcanti Costa

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Services ◽

Literature Review ◽

Population Group ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Sexual And Gender Minorities ◽

Health Care Practices ◽

Gender Minorities ◽

Care Practices ◽

And Gender

ABSTRACT Objectives: to describe health care practices aimed at lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites, and transsexuals. Methods: an integrative literature review based on systematic steps, in MEDLINE, LILACS AND SciELO databases and/or electronic libraries. It was held from September to November 2018, with articles published between 2012 and 2017, available in full in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, addressing health care to that population group. Results: fourteen articles were included. Most of the articles were about the trajectory of individuals within health services and showed limitations and obstacles in the use of these services. Final Considerations: there is evidence that factors related to organization of services, attitude of professionals, stigma, and discrimination experienced undermine health care practices. Therefore, it is essential to carry out educational activities in health services and educational institutions.

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Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Services Among Canadian Sexual and Gender Minorities with Depression and at Risk of Suicide

Community Mental Health Journal ◽

10.1007/s10597-019-00445-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 (8) ◽

pp. 1313-1321 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Olivier Ferlatte ◽

Travis Salway ◽

Simon Rice ◽

John L. Oliffe ◽

Ashleigh J. Rich ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

At Risk ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Perceived Barriers ◽

Sexual And Gender Minorities ◽

Gender Minorities ◽

And Gender

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The no-go zone: a qualitative study of access to sexual and reproductive health services for sexual and gender minority adolescents in Southern Africa

Reproductive Health ◽

10.1186/s12978-018-0462-2 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Alex Müller ◽

Sarah Spencer ◽

Talia Meer ◽

Kristen Daskilewicz

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Health Services ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Reproductive Health Services ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

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Using mobile technology to engage sexual and gender minorities in clinical research

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0216282 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. e0216282 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mitchell R. Lunn ◽

Matthew R. Capriotti ◽

Annesa Flentje ◽

Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo ◽

Mark J. Pletcher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Research ◽

Mobile Technology ◽

Sexual And Gender Minorities ◽

Gender Minorities ◽

And Gender

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Addressing Health-Care System Inequities in the Management of Erectile Dysfunction: A Call to Action

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988320965078 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 155798832096507

Author(s):

Arthur L. Burnett ◽

Natalie C. Edwards ◽

Tonya M. Barrett ◽

Krista D. Nitschelm ◽

Samir K. Bhattacharyya

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Erectile Dysfunction ◽

Reproductive Health ◽

Gender Equity ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Access To Treatment ◽

Call To Action ◽

Self Worth ◽

And Gender

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common, burdensome, and costly urologic condition strongly related to all aspects of general health, from physical to mental. ED has profound consequences as it may interfere physical well-being, quality of life (QoL), self-esteem, relationships, self-worth, and productivity. It is therefore important to ensure that all types of effective ED treatments are consistently accessible to patients. While federal and state mandates ensure access to treatment for women’s breast health, female-factor infertility, and gender affirmation to ensure that these individuals do not experience a diminished QoL, there are no comparable mandates for men’s sexual and reproductive health. The burden of ED necessitates a call to action to improve the accessibility of ED treatments. The call to action steps include: (a) coverage for pharmacological, surgical, and other ED treatments should be viewed in the same way as coverage for other health issues, whether male or female and regardless of the stages of treatment, physical dysfunction, or physical changes; (b) American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines for the management of ED should be followed, including implementation of templates in electronic medical records (EMRs) to support adherence to the guidelines; and (c) coverage criteria should explicitly state that the criteria are intended to support gender equity for sexual and reproductive health care and should not be used to prevent men from receiving medically necessary ED treatments. This call to action offers a pathway to support every man who seeks treatment for ED as a medically necessary intervention by removing systemic health-care barriers.

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