First Advisor

Charles Klein

Term of Graduation

Spring 2021

Date of Publication

7-6-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Anthropology

Department

Anthropology

Language

English

Subjects

Transgender people -- Medical care, Gender-nonconforming people -- Medical care, Patient-centered health care, Patient education -- Study and teaching, Oregon Health & Science University

DOI

10.15760/etd.7591

Physical Description

1 online resource (v, 80 pages)

Abstract

Prior research studies have found transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) patients at increased risk for poor physical and mental health as a result of disparities in health care access and treatment. Research has shown that perioperative patient education can improve patient outcomes, as well as promote increased knowledge, preparedness, and recovery post-surgery. For TGNC patients, gender affirming perioperative education classes are especially important for prospective patients as they not only provide comprehensive information about perioperative topics but also serve as a mechanism to promote personal empowerment through knowledge acquisition. The Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Transgender Health Program (THP) is currently utilizing this approach to patient education for TGNC communities. However, due to limited staffing and bandwidth, the THP has not been able to update the curriculum to reflect the priorities and needs of gender-affirming surgery patients.

The method of knowledge dissemination is of paramount importance, especially when engaging with historically marginalized populations. Developing health educational materials in collaboration with patients increases the relevancy of the content presented, as it reflects the values and priorities of the communities involved. For TGNC individuals, such insight will result in curriculums that are sensitive to, and affirming of, the identities of patients who are in process of navigating gender transition. Additionally, updating the curriculum could help reduce postoperative patient complications by presenting material that is highly relevant to the patient while simultaneously promoting self-empowerment through knowledge acquisition. The goal of this collaborative project is to develop recommendations to update the curriculums of current genital gender-affirming surgery (GGAS) classes to promote patient preparedness, learning, empowerment, and identity affirmation. Utilizing critical approaches to research, patient and provider knowledge as well as embodied experience will inform the development of curriculum recommendations. I will accomplish this endeavor by leveraging a transformative mixed-methods sequential design study using both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools. Such tools will incorporate various analytical approaches to assessing data, including survey analysis and qualitative interviews. Integrating these data will provide a comprehensive understanding of the various and nuanced needs of TGNC patients. As such, critical theories and methodologies can help devise a patient education curriculum that is both transformative, while also avoiding and/or mitigating harmful messages that disenfranchise or perpetuate forms of oppression (e.g., transnormativity).

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/36051

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