Abstract
BackgroundThere is limited information about how transgender, gender diverse, and Two-Spirit (trans) people have been represented and studied by researchers. The objectives of this study are to (1) map and describe trans research in the social sciences, sciences, humanities, health, education, and business, (2) identify evidence gaps and opportunities for more responsible research with trans people, (3) assess the use of text mining for study identification, and (4) increase access to trans research for key stakeholders through the creation of a web-based evidence map.MethodsStudy design was informed by community consultations and pilot searches. Eligibility criteria were established to include all original research of any design, including trans people or their health information, and published in English in peer-reviewed journals. A complex electronic search strategy based on relevant concepts in 15 databases was developed to obtain a broad range of results linked to transgender, gender diverse, and Two-Spirit individuals and communities. Searches conducted in early 2015 resulted in 25,242 references after removal of duplicates. Based on the number of references, resources, and an objective to capture upwards of 90% of the existing literature, this study is a good candidate for text mining using Latent Dirichlet Allocation to improve efficiency of the screening process. The following information will be collected for evidence mapping: study topic, study design, methods and data sources, recruitment strategies, sample size, sample demographics, researcher name and affiliation, country where research was conducted, funding source, and year of publication.DiscussionThe proposed research incorporates an extensive search strategy, text mining, and evidence map; it therefore has the potential to build on knowledge in several fields. Review results will increase awareness of existing trans research, identify evidence gaps, and inform strategic research prioritization. Publishing the map online will improve access to research for key stakeholders including community members, policy makers, and healthcare providers. This study will also contribute to knowledge in the area of text mining for study identification by providing an example of how semi-automation performs for screening on title and abstract and on full text.
Highlights
There is limited information about how transgender, gender diverse, and Two-Spirit people have been represented and studied by researchers
Because many people are not aware of the amount of research that has been conducted, this leads to misunderstandings and miscommunication. These beliefs are highlighted in statements by researchers such as “Limited empirical data are available regarding the mental health and general well-being of the transgender population” [1], “There is a dearth of health research about transgender people” [2], and “Literature regarding the gender variant population is very limited” [3]
Such misunderstandings may be troublesome if trans community members are unaware of research that can potentially inform questions they have about their lives
Summary
There is limited information about how transgender, gender diverse, and Two-Spirit (trans) people have been represented and studied by researchers. Because many people are not aware of the amount of research that has been conducted, this leads to misunderstandings and miscommunication These beliefs are highlighted in statements by researchers such as “Limited empirical data are available regarding the mental health and general well-being of the transgender population” [1], “There is a dearth of health research about transgender people” [2], and “Literature regarding the gender variant population is very limited” [3]. Such misunderstandings may be troublesome if trans community members are unaware of research that can potentially inform questions they have about their lives. Systematic research documenting the types of studies that have been conducted over time will provide details about the evidence that does exist and will help to identify opportunities for more responsible research [7] with gender diverse individuals and communities
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