Transgender people's knowledge about the adverse effects of cross-hormonization: challenges for nursing.
Andréa Felizardo Ahmad, Adriana Lemos, Cláudia Regina Ribeiro and 5 others
PMID 39319967WHAT IT FOUND
78% of participants said they knew adverse effects of hormone therapy, yet some used hormones without a prescription; their knowledge often came from internet and peer groups.
Key findings
0178% of participants declared they knew some adverse effects of cross-hormonization, but some did not show concern about possible harm.
0219 participants had never used hormones on their own: 4 transgender women and 15 trans men.
03Among participants who used hormones, 13 reported use without a medical prescription and 14 started or planned to start hormone therapy with a prescription.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in one public clinic in Niterói, Brazil, so the findings may not apply to other settings. Only adults over 18 who used the clinic were included, and non-binary people were excluded. The clinic operated once a week, which created logistical constraints. No nursing professionals were present in the study setting, despite the paper's nursing focus. Qualitative interviews describe what participants said; they cannot show whether hormone therapy is safe or effective.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read 78% saying they knew adverse effects as proof that self-medication is safe or understood. Some participants still used hormones without a prescription, and this qualitative study cannot measure the true risk of hormone therapy.