Acceptability of an organ inventory for cancer screening across gender identity and intersex status.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the acceptability and performance of an organ inventory as an alternative to asking about gender and/or sex assigned at birth in cancer screening.

METHODS

We fielded an online, self-administered survey to a convenience sample of English- or Spanish-speaking transgender and gender-diverse (TGD), intersex, and cisgender people (≥15 years) in the United States. The survey contained an organ inventory developed with community input and questions regarding acceptability. The primary outcome was organ inventory acceptability by the 4-item Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM). Additional outcomes included inter-method screening agreement between the organ inventory, gender, and sex assigned at birth.

RESULTS

In 2022, 333 eligible individuals completed the survey: 44.4% cisgender, 34.2% TGD, and 14.1% intersex. Overall, participants rated the organ inventory as acceptable (median AIM score = 18/20, IQR: 16-20). Most of them found it easy to understand (73%) and comfortable to complete (65%). Cancer screening eligibility varied based on the method used; relying solely on gender or sex data would have missed some eligible participants that the organ inventory identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Using an organ inventory as an alternative to gender- or sex-based screening questions was acceptable and has implications for addressing cancer screening disparities.