How much do health professionals know about health of TGD people? An Italian cross-sectional study

Abstract

Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) people is an umbrella term used to describe members of multiple societies with gender identities or expressions differing by gender socially attributed to the sex assigned at birth. TGD people have specific healthcare needs and struggles with access barriers that should be addressed by health systems. TGD people are constantly in contact with health professionals. But is evident that health professionals in general have little training in the care and health of TGD people. The aim of this study is to examine among Italian healthcare professionals the approach, knowledge, and perceptions they have towards caring for TGD people. This study conforms to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement guidelines for reporting observational studies specifically for cross-sectional studies. The online web-based survey used in this study was con-ducted using Google Modules. A total of 605 health professionals were interviewed. At the national level, in all 5 geographical areas analyzed, there was a lack of knowledge about TGD health among health professionals. The results of this research show that the Italian health professionals are aware of their own lack of knowledge about the healthcare needs of TGD people. Integrating holistic approaches to their care in medical school curricula supports the development of health systems that can address the needs of these people, also by the improvement of health professionals’ skills and specific education.

Keywords: cross-sectional study, transgender and gender diverse people, health professional education, survey, Italy, healthcare system.