State-level heterogeneity in associations between structural stigma and individual healthcare access: A multilevel analysis of transgender adults in the United States

Variation in Time-to-Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in US Active Duty Service Members

BACKGROUND

Beginning in July 2016, transgender service members in the US military were allowed to receive gender-affirming medical care, if so desired.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate variation in time-to-hormone therapy initiation in active duty Service members after the receipt of a diagnosis indicative of gender dysphoria in the Military Health System.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This retrospective cohort study included data from those enrolled in TRICARE Prime between July 2016 and December 2021 and extracted from the Military Health System Data Repository.

PARTICIPANTS

A population-based sample of US Service members who had an encounter with a relevant International Classification of Diseases 9/10 diagnosis code.

MEASURES

Time-to-gender-affirming hormone initiation after diagnosis receipt.

RESULTS

A total of 2439 Service members were included (M age 24 y; 62% white, 16% Black; 12% Latine; 65% Junior Enlisted; 37% Army, 29% Navy, 25% Air Force, 7% Marine Corps; 46% first recorded administrative assigned gender marker female). Overall, 41% and 52% initiated gender-affirming hormone therapy within 1 and 3 years of diagnosis, respectively. In the generalized additive model, time-to-gender-affirming hormone initiation was longer for Service members with a first administrative assigned gender marker of male relative to female ( P <0.001), and Asian and Pacific Islander ( P =0.02) and Black ( P =0.047) relative to white Service members. In time-varying interactions, junior enlisted members had longer time-to-initiation, relative to senior enlisted members and junior officers, until about 2-years postinitial diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

The significant variation and documented inequities indicate that institutional data-driven policy modifications are needed to ensure timely access for those desiring care.

Do Smartphone Apps Impact Long-Term Smoking Cessation for Sexual and Gender Minority Adults? Exploratory Results from a 2-Arm Randomized Trial Comparing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Standard US Clinical Practice Guidelines

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults face unique challenges in accessing smoking cessation care due to stigma tied to their identities and smoking. While cessation apps show promise in the general population, their efficacy for SGM adults is unclear. This study utilized data from a randomized trial to compare two cessation apps, iCanQuit (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based) and QuitGuide (US Clinical Practice Guidelines-based) among 403 SGM adults. The primary outcome was self-reported complete-case 30-day abstinence from cigarette smoking at 12 months. Mediation analyses explored whether interventions operated through acceptance of cues to smoke and app engagement. At 12 months, quit rates did not differ between arms (26% iCanQuit vs. 22% QuitGuide, OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.74 to 2.00, p = .43). iCanQuit positively impacted cessation via acceptance of cues to smoke (indirect effect = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.50, p < .001) and demonstrated higher engagement (no. logins, 28.4 vs. 12.1; p < .001) and satisfaction (91% vs. 75%, OR = 4.18; 95% CI: 2.12 to 8.25, p < .001) than QuitGuide. Although quit rates did not differ between arms, acceptance of cues to smoke seemed to play a crucial role in helping SGM adults quit smoking. Future interventions should consider promoting acceptance of cues to smoke in this population.

Prevalence of Discrimination and the Association Between Employment Discrimination and Health Care Access and Use - National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women, Seven Urban Areas, United States, 2019-2020

Transgender women experience discrimination in many settings, including in employment. Because employment and health insurance are intertwined in the United States, employment discrimination might be related to lower health insurance coverage and health care use, including gender-affirming care. This analysis used data from transgender women (N = 1,608) in seven urban areas in the United States collected during 2019-2020 to present the prevalence of six discrimination types (employment, housing, bathroom, businesses, health care, and abuse) and to measure the association between employment discrimination (defined as trouble getting a job or fired due to being transgender) and sociodemographic characteristics, health care access, and health care use. Log-linked Poisson regression models were conducted to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% CIs. Seven in 10 transgender women experienced at least one type of discrimination during the past 12 months. During the same period, 9.9% of transgender women were fired and 32.4% had trouble getting a job because of being transgender. Employment discrimination was associated with younger age and lower socioeconomic status. Having trouble getting a job was associated with health care access and health care use factors, including having no health insurance or having Medicaid only, having an unmet medical need because of cost, never having transgender-specific care, and having an unmet need for gender-affirming procedures. These findings suggest that employment discrimination contributes to transgender women's economic marginalization and their ability to obtain adequate health insurance coverage and achieve their transition goals. These findings might help guide efforts that protect transgender women's right to pursue their work, health, and life goals without discrimination.

Quantitative approaches to measuring structural cisgenderism

There is rapidly growing interest in understanding the impacts of structural cisgenderism on health and health inequities for transgender and nonbinary populations. This growing interest has led to an influx of novel measures of structural cisgenderism. In this commentary, we discuss and identify gaps in existing measures and offer considerations for the development of future measures. Developing and utilizing valid measures of structural cisgenderism is crucial to quantify its impacts on health and health inequities, and to inform public health interventions, laws, and policies to eliminate gender identity and modality-based health inequities.