Transgender Healthcare and Indian Medical Students: Is Curricular Revamping the Need of the Hour?

Abstract

Introduction: Transgender health is a comparatively new area of medicine that has not been explored until the past few decades. In India, the doctors still do not have much knowledge in this area. This highly influences the quality of medical services available for the transgender population. The undergraduate medical curriculum does not include enough information regarding transgender health care. Methodology: 214 participants were included in the study. A questionnaire containing 39 questions was provided to them in order to assess their knowledge regarding the medical and social problems related to transgender health. The questions were in yes or no format and scores were given to each answer. Questions were in 3 sections: general social awareness, medical experience, and knowledge and perception of issues.Result: The median score was 22 out of 39, with a maximum score of 35. Chi-square test showed better scores on general awareness and perception of issues while poorer scores in medical knowledge of transgender health among medical students. Conclusion: The study shows that there is a huge deficit in medical knowledge on transgender health among medical students even though they may be aware of the social aspects and issues in the area. There is a need for improvement of undergraduate medical curriculum to include topics of transgender health so as to better prepare the medical students to care for trans patients.