The Role of the Athletic Trainer in Providing Care to Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients: Foundational Knowledge and Disparities-Part I.

Abstract

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) patients experience discrimination, harassment, marginalization, and minority stress at greater rates than their cisgender counterparts, leading to numerous health and health care disparities that negatively affect well-being and access to quality health care.1 Despite being in an opportune position to improve health equity for TGD patients under their care, many athletic trainers (ATs) report having little to no formal education on TGD patient care, leading to a reduction in self-reported competence. As such, to fill this knowledge gap, the purposes of the first part of this 2-part narrative literature review are to (1) provide readers with foundational information and terminology, (2) explore relevant health and health care disparities, and (3) identify the role of the AT within an interprofessional care team treating TGD patients.