Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face significant barriers to healthcare, necessitating the development of TGD-friendly medical services. In India, healthcare systems have only recently begun addressing the unique needs of TGD individuals, particularly with the advent of the Transgen...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_971_24 |
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| author | Manoj K. Sahoo Chandrima Naskar Vinita Singh Akash Panigrahi |
| author_facet | Manoj K. Sahoo Chandrima Naskar Vinita Singh Akash Panigrahi |
| author_sort | Manoj K. Sahoo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face significant barriers to healthcare, necessitating the development of TGD-friendly medical services. In India, healthcare systems have only recently begun addressing the unique needs of TGD individuals, particularly with the advent of the Transgender Persons Act 2019. This article outlines the establishment of a comprehensive TGD clinic within a multidisciplinary framework. Services span psychiatric support, endocrinology, and surgical interventions, including gender-affirming medical and surgical treatments (GAMSTs). Adherence to WPATH Standards of Care (SOC-8) ensures informed, patient-centered treatment for gender incongruence. The clinic also emphasizes pretreatment evaluations, hormone therapy protocols, surgical readiness, and regular monitoring. Additionally, patient education, consent processes, and social transition support are integral to the clinic’s approach. Challenges include stigma reduction, staff training, financial sustainability for long-term treatments, and navigating gendered hospital infrastructure. The clinic’s experience with 50 TGD individuals, including 18 who underwent gender reassignment surgeries, demonstrates the feasibility of such a service. Future goals include expanding services to nonemployees, providing advanced surgeries, and enhancing mental health support. This model serves as a framework for the creation of inclusive, holistic healthcare services for TGD individuals in India, aiming to improve both physical and psychological wellbeing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3faed18aad6844f7b9026ba0ff912b96 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0019-5545 1998-3794 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-3faed18aad6844f7b9026ba0ff912b962025-01-07T06:32:29ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Psychiatry0019-55451998-37942024-12-0166121169117310.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_971_24Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutionsManoj K. SahooChandrima NaskarVinita SinghAkash PanigrahiTransgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face significant barriers to healthcare, necessitating the development of TGD-friendly medical services. In India, healthcare systems have only recently begun addressing the unique needs of TGD individuals, particularly with the advent of the Transgender Persons Act 2019. This article outlines the establishment of a comprehensive TGD clinic within a multidisciplinary framework. Services span psychiatric support, endocrinology, and surgical interventions, including gender-affirming medical and surgical treatments (GAMSTs). Adherence to WPATH Standards of Care (SOC-8) ensures informed, patient-centered treatment for gender incongruence. The clinic also emphasizes pretreatment evaluations, hormone therapy protocols, surgical readiness, and regular monitoring. Additionally, patient education, consent processes, and social transition support are integral to the clinic’s approach. Challenges include stigma reduction, staff training, financial sustainability for long-term treatments, and navigating gendered hospital infrastructure. The clinic’s experience with 50 TGD individuals, including 18 who underwent gender reassignment surgeries, demonstrates the feasibility of such a service. Future goals include expanding services to nonemployees, providing advanced surgeries, and enhancing mental health support. This model serves as a framework for the creation of inclusive, holistic healthcare services for TGD individuals in India, aiming to improve both physical and psychological wellbeing.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_971_24gender reassignment surgeryhormone therapyservicetransgender |
| spellingShingle | Manoj K. Sahoo Chandrima Naskar Vinita Singh Akash Panigrahi Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions Indian Journal of Psychiatry gender reassignment surgery hormone therapy service transgender |
| title | Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions |
| title_full | Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions |
| title_fullStr | Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions |
| title_short | Setting up a transgender-friendly service in a tertiary care hospital: The challenges and solutions |
| title_sort | setting up a transgender friendly service in a tertiary care hospital the challenges and solutions |
| topic | gender reassignment surgery hormone therapy service transgender |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_971_24 |
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