Introduction: Global access to gender-affirming care varies greatly depending on geographical location. The state of Minnesota is a refuge for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people, given state legislations and access to gender-affirming care (Simmons-Duffin, 2024). While advocacy work to extend rights and access to more places is needed, so too is research needed to better understand TGD peoples' experiences of healthcare in places of refuge. This presentation aims to share the perceptions of TGD individuals' experiences in healthcare in a midwestern state, to inform best practices for occupational therapists when working with TGD clients.
Objectives:
- Share perspectives of TGD individuals' experiences in the US healthcare system.
- Present best practices for working with TGD clients.
- Discuss ways for occupational therapists to support TGD individuals in the occupation of health management.
Approach: This session will discuss research on the perspectives of TGD individuals' experiences in healthcare within the US system. Using an occupational therapy lens, health management as an occupation and best leveraging therapeutic use-of-self will both be discussed.
Practice Implications: While gender-affirming care is a new and emerging field within occupational therapy, therapists will work with TGD clients in all practice areas and settings.
Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: Understanding the experiences of the TGD community as they navigate healthcare, and learning tools to better support them, are important for occupational therapists to serve all clients to the best of our ability.