Provision of gender affirming care among medical and allied health practitioners: The influence of transnormative beliefs in working with gender diverse patients

Article


Speechley, Molly, Stuart, Jaimee, Scott, Riley A., Barber, Bonnie L. and Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J.. 2024. "Provision of gender affirming care among medical and allied health practitioners: The influence of transnormative beliefs in working with gender diverse patients." Social Science and Medicine. 348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116876
Article Title

Provision of gender affirming care among medical and allied health practitioners: The influence of transnormative beliefs in working with gender diverse patients

ERA Journal ID39837
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsSpeechley, Molly, Stuart, Jaimee, Scott, Riley A., Barber, Bonnie L. and Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J.
Journal TitleSocial Science and Medicine
Journal Citation348
Article Number116876
Number of Pages9
Year2024
PublisherElsevier
Place of PublicationUnited Kingdom
ISSN0277-9536
1873-5347
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116876
Web Address (URL)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953624003204
AbstractGender diverse patients (including gender diverse, transgender, and non-binary people) deserve quality health care, which has been referred to as gender affirming care. Given that practitioners' attitudes and competence can influence their provision of gender affirming care, this study used a lens of transnormativity (Bradford & Syed, 2019; Johnson, 2016) to develop a measure of practitioners' transnormative beliefs. The aim of the study was to determine if these beliefs were related to practitioners' gender affirming attitudes and perceptions of competence in gender affirming practice. Survey data were collected from Australian medical and allied health practitioners (N = 95). Exploratory factor analysis was applied to items measuring transnormative beliefs, with the results supporting three higher order factors; conditional approval, narrative, and gender role beliefs. Conditional approval reflected belief in gender diverse identity as authentic and worthy of intervention. Narrative beliefs reflected understanding of common developmental experiences among gender diverse populations, specifically experiences of victimisation and nascence. Gender role beliefs reflected belief in the existence of gender roles. In models that regressed gender affirming attitudes and self-perceived competency on all transnormative beliefs, controlling for demographics and work history, practitioners higher in conditional approval were lower in gender affirming attitudes and practitioners higher in narrative beliefs were higher in gender affirming attitudes and competency. Conditional approval was not significantly associated with competency, and gender role beliefs were not significantly associated with attitudes or competency. Results indicate that practitioners' transnormative beliefs are related to their gender affirming attitudes and suggest that targeting these beliefs through training opportunities could bridge the gap between gender diverse people's healthcare needs and the ability of healthcare practitioners to provide high quality care.
KeywordsGender affirming care; Gender diversity ; Gender diversity attitudes ; Gender diversity beliefs ; Transgender; Practitioner competency
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020420606. Social determinants of health
Byline AffiliationsGriffith University
United Nations University Institute, Macau
University of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/z85q2/provision-of-gender-affirming-care-among-medical-and-allied-health-practitioners-the-influence-of-transnormative-beliefs-in-working-with-gender-diverse-patients

Download files


Published Version
1-s2.0-S0277953624003204-main.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Anyone

  • 7
    total views
  • 6
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 2
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Appearance-related teasing, rejection sensitivity, acceptance, and coping as risks and resources associated with online appearance preoccupation over one year
Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J., Scott, Riley A. and Hawes, Tanya. 2024. "Appearance-related teasing, rejection sensitivity, acceptance, and coping as risks and resources associated with online appearance preoccupation over one year." Computers in Human Behavior. 158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108319
Young adults’ perceptions of their online versus offline interactions with close friends: An exploration of individual differences
Scott, Riley A., Stuart, Jaimee and Barber, Bonnie L.. 2024. "Young adults’ perceptions of their online versus offline interactions with close friends: An exploration of individual differences." Computers in Human Behavior Reports. 14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100399
Connected and isolated victims of relational aggression: associations with peer group status and differences between girls and boys
Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J., Pronk, Rhiarne E., Goodwin, Belinda, Mastro, Shawna and Crick, Nicki R.. 2013. "Connected and isolated victims of relational aggression: associations with peer group status and differences between girls and boys." Sex Roles: a journal of research. 68 (5-6), pp. 363-377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-012-0239-y
Comparing reports of peer rejection: associations with rejection sensitivity, victimization, aggression, and friendship
Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J., Nesdale, Drew, McGregor, Leanne, Mastro, Shawna, Goodwin, Belinda and Downey, Geraldine. 2013. "Comparing reports of peer rejection: associations with rejection sensitivity, victimization, aggression, and friendship." Journal of Adolescence. 36 (6), pp. 1237-1246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2013.10.002