Access to public healthcare services for transgender people: experiences in Brazil's capital.
Ester Mascarenhas Oliveira, Carle Porcino, Cleuma Sueli Santos Suto and 5 others
PMID 42224105WHAT IT FOUND
Transgender adults in Brasília described access as blocked by misrecognition, discrimination, and long referral delays, but some felt safe when staff listened, used chosen names, and supported medication care.
Key findings
01Transgender adults reported that care access was undermined when clinicians or services failed to recognise their gender identity.
02They also reported delays, repeated rescheduling, and unresolved referrals that disrupted access.
03Some participants described welcoming care when staff used chosen names and treated them respectfully during medication administration.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and limited to 19 adults in Brasília, so the authors state the findings cannot be generalised. Snowball sampling may have selected people connected to the services studied or to other participants, and six invited people declined. The interview guide had 19 questions and no pilot test was conducted. The study reports experiences and themes, not measured outcomes, so it cannot show whether a service improves health. Most participants had completed higher education, and twelve reported monthly income up to two minimum wages, which may not represent all transgender people using public healthcare services.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report funding or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that a specific service model works. The study interviewed adults in one Brazilian capital and did not compare outcomes.