Health and Access to Gender-Affirming Care During Covid-19

Experiences of transmasculine individuals and men assigned female sex at birth

Bibliographic Data

ID21748278
AuthorsAlexa B D’angelo (0000-0001-5260-340X, City University of New York), Kira Argenio (0000-0001-8272-2565, City University of New York), Drew A Westmoreland (0000-0003-4085-7941, City University of New York), Max Nicolai Appenroth (0000-0002-7798-6854, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin), Christian Grov (0000-0001-6871-3531, City University of New York, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume15
Issue6
Pages15579883211062681-15579883211062681
Publication date2021-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Men s Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1557-9883 • E-ISSN: 1557-9891
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/15579883211062681
PMID34861796
OpenAlexW3215021197
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited38

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, global research has suggested that the pandemic has negatively affected lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) populations, including by limiting health care access. There is little research on the impact of COVID-19 among transmasculine persons and men assigned female sex at birth (AFAB) in the United States, who face unique health care challenges outside of the pandemic context. Between May and June of 2020, 20 transmasculine individuals and AFAB men who have sex with men participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were asked how the pandemic affected their access to health care, overall health, and well-being. Interviews were analyzed using an inductive, thematic approach. Participants reported reduced access to in-person health care, which in some cases meant overdue hormone-related bloodwork and unmet health care needs. Most participants reported that they were able to maintain their testosterone regimen, although some were concerned about future access, citing anxiety about potential shortages. Three participants reported canceled or deferred gender-affirming procedures, which they were uncertain would be rescheduled soon. Participants generally reported that the expansion of telehealth improved access to care, particularly for gender-affirming psychotherapy that was otherwise inaccessible or inconvenient prior to the pandemic. Other salient themes include the pandemic’s impact on health behaviors and daily routines. Although the COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for maintaining health, it also expanded access to gender-affirming health care, largely through the expansion of telehealth. Our findings provide new insights for supporting the health of transmasculine individuals and AFAB men

Anxiety · Disease · Family medicine · Health care · Health equity · Lesbian · Men who have sex with men · Pandemic · Political science · Psychiatry · Public health · Qualitative research · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Transgender · Feminist Theory and Gender Studies · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies · Gerontology

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