P074“Care about me as a human”: Building affirming relationships with transgender and gender-expansive patients

Abstract

<h3>Objectives</h3> Prior research has mostly focused on discrete clinical components of transgender care and contraceptive counseling, often centering clinician viewpoints. This qualitative study explores transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) perspectives on a range of healthcare experiences, with a focus on affective and interpersonal factors that impact quality of care, access to care, and provider relationships. <h3>Methods</h3> We conducted in-depth interviews with 16 TGE individuals. Participants were asked questions about their values, needs, and reflections around primary, gender-specific, and reproductive healthcare experiences. Beyond clinic-based practicalities, interviews centered deeper inquiries into more substantial influences on person-centered care, including barriers to care and quality of provider relationships. <h3>Results</h3> Interviews were conducted with 16 TGE individuals. Similar themes emerged across different types of care, including an emphasis on person-centered care and high-quality provider relationships. Participants identified quality relationships with a healthcare provider to be at least as important as provider literacy on transgender-specific issues. Additionally, participants expressed the desire to be treated by their healthcare provider as an individual, with unique health goals, barriers, and priorities that may not match those of other TGE individuals. <h3>Conclusions</h3> In defining inclusive and affirming care, participants placed emphasis on genuine provider relationships, individualized care, and normalization of transgender identities. Implementing affirming healthcare should rely less on a checklist of trans-specific competencies and more on the principles of person-centered care. This research should be considered when implementing healthcare services, in order to provide care that is affirming and inclusive for TGE individuals.