Perspectives of parents of transgender youth regarding gender-affirming hormonal treatments: An exploratory qualitative study
Eva Feigerlova
A
BSTRACT
Background and Objectives:
Over the past decade, an increase in the number of young subjects seeking gender-affirming care has been reported; however, awareness of parents and transgender youth regarding outcomes of gender-affirming hormonal therapy is not well known. Our aim was to explore expectations and knowledge of parents of transgender youth regarding gender-affirming hormonal therapy.
Methods:
This is a single-center, qualitative study based on focus groups. Parents of transgender youth who were followed in our department were recruited. Focus groups were transcribed and the collected information was discussed with the research participants to identify themes and categorize the data using a thematic analysis. This study follows the consolidated criteria for reporting of qualitative research interviews and focus groups COREQ.
Results:
A total of 21 parents of 14 transgender youth, mean age 15.1+/-1.69 years, participated in 8 focus groups. Four central themes were depicted through the participants’ narratives: (i) social media as a main source of information; (ii) desire for rapid physical changes; (iii) low awareness of potential long-term risks of hormonal treatments; and (iv) fertility preservation perceived as an act marking the initiation of transition.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the need for a more comprehensive set of health services to inform transgender youth and their families about hormonal gender-affirmative care and foster eHealth literacy skills of healthcare users. The concept presented here can be useful to other institutions aiming to develop interventions tailored to the needs of healthcare users.