Perceptions of Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People on General Health Care in the Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland Study.
Agnes Higgins, Carmel Downes, Karin O'Sullivan and 7 others
PMID 40955728WHAT IT FOUND
Trans and gender non-conforming patients in Ireland reported significantly poorer self-rated health and far more negative interactions with clinicians than cisgender peers, including misgendering and invasive questioning.
Many avoided disclosing their identity or seeking care entirely due to fear of discrimination.
Key findings
0131.3% of trans and gender non-conforming participants rated their health as good or very good, compared to 53.9% of cisgender women and 62.2% of cisgender men.
0224.3% of trans and gender non-conforming participants perceived healthcare practitioners as unsupportive or very unsupportive of their identity, compared to 7.3% of cisgender men and 11% of cisgender women.
03Qualitative comments described a culture of cisnormativity, microaggressions like deadnaming, and fear of disclosure leading to delayed or avoided healthcare.
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 self-selected via online and social media recruitment, which may favour those with internet access, computer skills, or an existing interest in LGBTQI+ advocacy. Generalisability is limited because it is unknown how representative the sample is of the wider TGNC population in Ireland, particularly as national census data does not capture non-binary gender identities. The survey questions were designed specifically for this study and lacked a validated tool, meaning some relevant items may have been missed. Qualitative analysis relied on free-text responses from an online survey, which prevented clarification of ambiguous statements and may have been influenced by the order of questions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Health Service Executive, National Office for Suicide Prevention, HSE National Social Inclusion Office, and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the similar rates of healthcare utilisation across groups as evidence of equitable access. The study shows that while trans and gender non-conforming people attend services at similar rates, they experience significantly higher rates of discrimination and poorer self-rated health, with many avoiding disclosure or future care due to fear.