STIGMATIZATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF MALE-TO-FEMALE- TRANSGENDER UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE NORTHEAST OF THAILAND

Abstract

Transgender students are vulnerable to mental and physical health problems, impacting their quality of life (QOL). This research aims to study the stigma influence on the QOL of male-to-female transgender university students in Northeastern Thailand. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 765 male-to-female transgender students selected from 17 universities of the Northeast of Thailand using a multistage random sampling to respond to a self-administered structured questionnaire. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was performed to identify factors associated with quality of life when controlling the effects of covariates, presenting adjusted OR and 95% confidence intervals. Among 765 male-to-female transgender students, more than half of them had good QOL (52.81%; 95%CI = 49.25-56.33). The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) observed that factors associated with good QOL including moderate-low stigmatization (adj.OR=6.39; 95%CI = 2.72-15.02), good health behaviors (adj.OR=1.88; 95%1.47-2.86), no stress problem (adj.OR=1.81; 95%CI = 1.30-2.51), good self-acceptance (adj.OR=1.67; 95%CI = 1.37-2.03) and good social environment (adj.OR=1.41; 95%CI = 1.13-1.76). These findings could provide data to support evidence for family, community, societal and relevant sectors under the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education and local administration organizations to promote the quality of life in transgender people effectively.