Factors associated with healthcare avoidance among transgender women in Argentina

International Journal for Equity in Health

Omar Sued²  Thomas Kerr¹  Pedro Cahn²  Marcela Romero⁵  Inés Arístegui⁴  Brandon DL Marshall³  María Eugenia Socías² 

[1] Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul’s Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver V6Z 1Y6, BC, Canada;Fundación Huésped, Angel Peluffo 3932, Buenos Aires C1202ABB, Argentina;Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence 02912, RI, USA;Center for Psychology Research, School of Social Sciences, University of Palermo, Mario Bravo 1259, Buenos Aires C1175ABW, Argentina;Association of Transvestites, Transsexuals, and Transgenders of Argentina (A.T.T.T.A.), Callao 339 6th floor, Buenos Aires C1022AAD, Argentina

关键词: Stigma;    Discrimination;    Police violence;    Healthcare access;    Argentina;    Transgender women;   

Others  :  1137648
DOI  :  10.1186/s12939-014-0081-7

 received in 2014-05-16, accepted in 2014-09-05,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Introduction

Transgender (TG) women in many settings continue to contend with barriers to healthcare, including experiences of stigma and discrimination. Argentina has a universal health care system and laws designed to promote healthcare access among TG women. However, little is known about barriers to healthcare access among TG women in this setting. The aim of this study was to explore individual, social-structural and environmental factors associated with healthcare avoidance among TG women in Argentina.

Methods

Data were derived from a 2013 nation-wide, cross-sectional study involving TG women in Argentina. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with avoiding healthcare using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Among 452 TG women included in the study, 184 (40.7%) reported that they avoided seeking healthcare because of their transgender identity. In multivariable analysis, factors positively associated with avoiding seeking healthcare were: having been exposed to police violence (adjusted odd ratio [aOR] = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.26 – 3.83), internalized stigma (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.02–2.51), having experienced discrimination by healthcare workers (aOR = 3.36: 95% CI: 1.25 – 5.70) or patients (aOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.58 – 4.17), and currently living in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area (aOR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.44 – 3.76). In contrast, TG women with extended health insurance were less likely to report avoiding healthcare (aOR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.26 – 0.93).

Conclusions

A high proportion of TG women in our sample reported avoiding healthcare. Avoiding healthcare was associated with stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, as well as police violence experiences. Although further research is warranted, these finding suggests that socio-structural interventions tailored TG women needs are needed to improve access to healthcare among this population.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Socías et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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