Transgender medical care: for better, or worse? - 27/06/08
Résumé |
Objective |
Transgender people in transition experience difficulties because of scarcity of public health services, and of clinically competent professionals.
Health needs vary greatly, and professionals interested in transgender care must meet the needs of transgender people, a broad definition including transsexuals, crossdressers, bi- or multi-gendered individuals.
Transgender medical care is an holistic care and must consider biopsychological, socioeconomic and spiritual health.
Design and method |
Protocols are based on specific published literature and on clinical experience of clinicians. More research is needed and when literature is inconclusive, recommendations are based on current practice. Recommendations must be considered as a step in advancing discussion among experienced pratictioners rather than as rigid guidelines, and the author encourage clinicians to work together with community members. Care must be taken in applying evidence from studies of natal females to MtFs and of natal males to FtMs: little is known about physiologic differences affecting health outcomes.
Lacking large scale studies on to the over age 65 range, transgender endocrine therapy long term health effects remain uncertain.
Results |
The author, dealing with transgender people since 1983, reviews morbidity and mortality in 78 MtF and 238 FtM on therapy ranging over 2 months to 47 years, with particular regard to clotting disorders, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, mental illness, breast, ovarian, uterine, and prostate cancer.
Conclusions |
Sensitive and respectful medical treatment clearly improve mental health and quality of life of transgender people.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Vol 17 - N° S1
P. 20 - janvier-mars 2008 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.