Should BMI Help Determine Gender-Affirming Surgery Candidacy

Bibliographic Data

ID15747243
AuthorsElijah Castle (0000-0003-0894-2214, NYU Langone Health, corresponding author), Laura L Kimberly (0000-0001-6873-6266, New York University), Gaines Blasdel (0000-0002-5431-6540, University of Michigan), Augustus Parker (New York University), Rachel Bluebond‐Langner (0000-0002-7305-8970, New York University), Lee C Zhao (0000-0002-4029-0669, Center For Reconstructive Urethral Surgery)
Year2023
Volume25
Issue7
PagesE496-506
Publication date2023-07-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe AMA Journal of Ethic (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2376-6980 • E-ISSN: 2376-6980
PublisherAmerican Medical Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1001/amajethics.2023.496
PMID37432002
OpenAlexW4383753181
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited8

Use of body mass index (BMI) as a health care metric is controversial, especially in candidacy assessments for gender-affirming surgery. When considering experiences of fat trans individuals, it is important to advocate for equitable divisions of responsibility for and recognition of systemic fat phobia. This commentary on a case suggests strategies for increasing equitable access to safe surgery for all body types. If surgeons use BMI thresholds, simultaneous effort must be made to advocate for data collection so that surgical candidacy criteria are evidence-based and equitably applied

Body mass index · Candidacy · Family medicine · Metric (unit · Operations management · Political science · Body Contouring and Surgery · Diversity and Career in Medicine · Healthcare cost, quality, practices · Law · Medicine · Internal Medicine · Surgery

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Open DOIOpen Access