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. 2021 Sep 1;18(17):9219.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179219.

"I Have Nowhere to Go": A Multiple-Case Study of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth, Their Families, and Healthcare Experiences

Megan S Paceley  1 , Jennifer Ananda  1 , Margaret M C Thomas  2 , Isaac Sanders  3 , Delaney Hiegert  4 , Taylor Davis Monley  1
Affiliations

"I Have Nowhere to Go": A Multiple-Case Study of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth, Their Families, and Healthcare Experiences

Megan S Paceley et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth experience health disparities due to stigma and victimization. Gender-affirming healthcare mitigates these challenges; yet, we have limited understanding of TGD youth's healthcare experiences in the U.S. Midwest and South. Using a multiple case study design, we aimed to develop an in-depth and cross-contextual understanding of TGD youth healthcare experiences in one Midwestern state. Families with a TGD child under 18 were recruited with the goal of cross-case diversity by child age, gender, race, and/or region of the state; we obtained diversity in child age and region only. Four white families with TGD boys or non-binary youth (4-16) in rural, suburban, and small towns participated in interviews and observations for one year; public data were collected from each family's community. Thematic analysis was used within and across cases to develop both family-level understanding and identify themes across families. Findings include a summary of each family as it relates to their child's TGD healthcare experiences as well as the themes identified across cases: accessibility and affirming care. Although limited by a small sample with lack of gender and race diversity, this study contributes to our understanding of TGD youth healthcare in understudied regions.

Keywords: Midwest; adolescents; children; healthcare; transgender.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

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