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Assessing Awareness of Gender Dysphoria and Gender Affirmation Care in West Virginia
Acara Turner, MD
Lundrim Marku, BS
Jack Gelman, MD
West Virginia University Plastic Surgery Integrated Program
2023-02-10
Presenter: Acara Turner, MD
Affidavit:
This material has not been published or presented at a major meeting. The resident did 75% of the work. I consent to my electronic signature.
Director Name: Kerri M. Woodberry, MD, MBA, FACS
Author Category: Resident Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: Aesthetics
Transgender and gender-diverse individuals in rural locations often experience barriers to both healthcare and gender-affirming care when compared to their urban counterparts. Such barriers include inadequate access to care based on geographic location, lack of resources by local providers, and limited social support in their community. Our study aims to identify specific targets for improving both access to and quality of gender-affirming care in rural populations. A 13-question survey was distributed to providers across 107 sites within the West Virginia Practice Based Research Network over a three-month period. Our survey assessed comfortability with caring for patients with gender dysphoria, understanding of the multidisciplinary gender-affirming care teams, ability to refer patients, and knowledge of national guidelines for care. Data points were collected and analyzed via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Analysis showed that most providers in rural West Virginia are not entirely comfortable with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and report that they only sometimes or rarely care for patients with gender dysphoria (43, 93%, respectively). Providers are unaware of surgical options (59%) or whether insurance would cover the surgeries (77%). In comparison, less than 1% were familiar with insurance coverage. A large majority of providers were unaware of multidisciplinary clinics for transgender individuals in West Virginia (82%). Our survey shows that despite the advancements in gender-affirming care, there is a need for education on current gender-affirming care guidelines and existing resources for transgender and gender-diverse individuals in rural areas.
