Open AccessTransgender health in medical education
Author(s) -
Tommy Hana,
Kat Butler,
L. Trevor Young,
Gerardo Zamora,
June Sing Hong Lam
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
bulletin of the world health organization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.459
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1564-0604
pISSN - 0042-9686
DOI - 10.2471/blt.19.249086
Subject(s) - transgender , medicine , transgender person , family medicine , sociology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , gender studies
Transforming our world the 2030 agenda for sustainable development is working towards a world that reflects equity, with universal respect for human dignity, pledging to leave no one behind. However, transgender and gender-diverse individuals experience significant health inequities, including negative health outcomes and multiple barriers to accessing care. In this article, we first highlight the health inequities that transgender and gender-diverse people face globally. We describe important aspects of transgender and gender-diverse health care, including the design and provision of health services, epidemiological considerations, transition-related care, changes in transition-related goals, cultural considerations, and political and legal issues. We then review the existing global literature on incorporating transgender health into medical curricula. We make a case for prioritizing improved education in medical schools on the specific health needs of transgender and gender-diverse people as part of addressing global health inequities in care. Our recommendations for comprehensive education on transgender health include cultural humility and anti-oppression training; involvement of transgender and gender-diverse community members; integration of transgender and gender-diverse health into curricula; practice-focused and in situ training; staff development in medical schools; and improving access to careers in medicine for transgender and gender-diverse people.