Health Demands of Transsexual People in a Specialized Outpatient Clinic in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Transsexuality involves gender identities and expressions different from the sex assigned at birth. Although there are policies, such as the National LGBT Comprehensive Health Policy and the Transexualizing Process, there are gaps in access to health services.  Objective: to analyze the health demands of transsexual people in a specialized outpatient clinic in Brazil. Method: Exploratory and descriptive study, with a qualitative approach, approved by the Research Ethics Committee under opinion number 7.401.178. It was carried out in an outpatient clinic specialized in transsexuality, with transsexual participants over 18 years of age, with cognitive and linguistic capacity for interviewing and who have been seen at least once in an appointment with a health professional. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews, with profile and open questions on the theme, being analyzed by descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis technique. Results: The profile of the 11 participants revealed the majority of transsexual men, (6) with an average age of 30 years, self-declared brown (8), heterosexual (6) and single. (11) The predominant level of education was secondary education (5) and income ranging from one to three minimum wages. (9) The demands include the absence of a trained multidisciplinary team, psychosocial support, continuity in specialized care, clinical and laboratory tests, access to hormone therapy and free cosmetic surgeries, and participation in support networks. Conclusion: The transsexual population faces transphobia, lack of professional qualification, and difficulties in accessing services, which increases their social vulnerability and health risks.