TransCare - Genital Surgery for Trans Women in Centralized vs. Decentralized Health Care Delivery Settings

TransCare - Genital Surgery for Trans Women in Centralized vs. Decentralized Health Care Delivery Settings

Trans (i.e., transgender, transsexual) individuals experience a gender that does not match their sex assigned at birth (Gender Incongruence), which can lead to distress called gender dysphoria (formerly known as transsexualism). Trans health care (THC) is primarily focusing on transition-related medical interventions (e.g. genital surgery) to reduce gender dysphoria and improve the quality of life. To date, trans individuals access THC services in both decentralized (e.g., various transition-related interventions are spread over several locations) and centralized structures (e.g., gender affirmative medical treatments are provided by a single source). The TransCare study examines genital surgery for trans women (e.g. penile inversion vaginoplasty), focusing on the effect of different health care delivery settings (e.g., if patients received all treatments from a single source or spread over several locations) on psychosocial outcomes and the quality of healthcare.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 16 years or older;
• Gender different from their assigned male sex at birth
• Current or new surgical care patient at Department of Urology at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
• Able to read, speak, and understand German
• Written informed consent after written and oral information

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under 16 years of age
• Missing informed consent
• Unable to speak German