Lee Joy L, Donnelly Claire E, Hirsh Adam T, Weiner Michael, Sperry Heather A, Fuqua Masheka R, Natividad Diana, Matthias Marianne S
Center for Health Information and Communication, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Systems Research, Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
Perm J. 2025 Mar 14;29(1):77-83. doi: 10.7812/TPP/24.161. Epub 2025 Jan 28.
Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals frequently encounter discrimination in health care settings. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) is committed to addressing the health disparities experienced by TGD veterans. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of TGD veterans with LGBTQ+ veteran care coordinators.
The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with TGD veterans with depression between January and March 2022. Participants were recruited with assistance from the VA's network of LGBTQ+ veteran care coordinators. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed.
Twenty-six TGD veterans participated in the study, with a range of experiences, both positive and negative, with LGBTQ+ veteran care coordinators. Veterans spoke of the role of coordinators in educating both patients and clinicians about TGD health care needs. Participants who expressed dissatisfaction with their coordinators highlighted the need for a clearer definition and communication of coordinator duties.
This study highlights the important roles played by the VA LGBTQ+ care coordinators in addressing the needs of TGD veterans. The study also points to an immense need for clinician education in TGD care. Further training and education are recommended to improve equitable care for TGD veterans.
跨性别者和性别多样化（TGD）个体在医疗保健环境中经常遭遇歧视。退伍军人健康管理局（VA）致力于解决TGD退伍军人所经历的健康差异问题。本研究的目的是探索TGD退伍军人与LGBTQ+退伍军人护理协调员的经历。
作者在2022年1月至3月期间对患有抑郁症的TGD退伍军人进行了半结构化访谈。参与者是在VA的LGBTQ+退伍军人护理协调员网络的协助下招募的。访谈进行了录音、转录和分析。
26名TGD退伍军人参与了该研究，他们与LGBTQ+退伍军人护理协调员有一系列积极和消极的经历。退伍军人谈到了协调员在教育患者和临床医生了解TGD医疗保健需求方面的作用。对协调员表示不满的参与者强调需要更明确地界定和沟通协调员的职责。
本研究强调了VA的LGBTQ+护理协调员在满足TGD退伍军人需求方面所发挥的重要作用。该研究还指出临床医生在TGD护理方面亟需接受教育。建议进一步开展培训和教育，以改善对TGD退伍军人的公平护理。
