A Critical Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Youth for Use by Primary Care Practitioners

Purpose: To examine and critique international clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) related to transgender and gender diverse children and youth and to assess the applicability of the guidelines to ethical and affirming primary care practice.

Methods: A review was conducted to obtain English language clinical guidelines. Guidelines were obtained from electronic databases, medical associations, government agencies, and community organizations. Guidelines were critiqued by all authors using the AGREE II instrument.

Results: Nine documents were reviewed. Overall, there was agreement among reviewers that the scope, purpose, and clarity of presentation of the guidelines was carried out well. Areas identified for improvement in all guidelines included clarity/rigor of methodologic development, inclusion of community stakeholders, and transparency of editorial independence. The scored highest overall. Despite lower overall scores, other guidelines were identified as having strengths of practical utility within primary care and/or in the discussion of specific social, ethical, and cultural considerations of transgender care in differing contexts worldwide.

Conclusion: The use of specific, high-quality CPGs can support primary care practitioners to provide gender-affirming care to children and youth. Methodologic improvement in the development of these CPGs is needed to ensure the best possible quality of care is being outlined.