Barriers to Healthcare for Transgender Individuals

Transgender (TG) clients experience provider bias, erasure, refusal to treat, and violence. The purpose of this article is to identify barriers to healthcare for TG individuals and discuss recommendations for providers treating this population. Literature review of prime research was conducted using the Whittemore and Knafl methodology (2005). Evidence suggests that barriers to TG healthcare include lack of provider TG knowledge and trans sensitivity, lack of provider communication, and lack of emotional and physical safe healthcare environments. TG clients face barriers to accessing healthcare, and specific recommendations to improve provider practice will decrease these barriers. Lack of provider education affects TG individuals accessing quality healthcare. Recommendations to improve provider practice are essential to improve care.