Presenters
- Carrie Massura, PhD, Pediatric Psychologist, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA
- Shelley Hosterman, PhD, Pediatric Psychologist and Chief of PCBH, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA
- Megan Moran-Sands, DO, Pediatrician, Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, Bloomsburg, PA
- Samuel Faulkner, PhD, Pediatric Psychologist, Tidal Integrated Health, Greenville, NC
- Amanda Ferriola, PsyD, Pediatric Psychology Fellow, Geisinger Health System, Forty Fort, PA
Summary
Transgender individuals experience significant health disparities associated with barriers to care, including lack of provider training, discrimination, system barriers, and financial barriers (Safer et al., 2016). Comfort with primary care services impacts health outcomes for transgender individuals (Clark et al., 2018). For example, affirming, integrated services for transgender youth that include early identification and family support improve psychological outcomes (Janicka & Forcier, 2016). Moreover, primary care services may offer connections to affirming medical interventions, such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapies; Turban et al. (2020) found that access to pubertal suppression during adolescence was associated with lower risk of lifetime suicidal ideation. Consistent with previous studies (Kano et al., 2016), this project used qualitative methods to develop gender-affirming programming based on input from patient stakeholders. This presentation describes the development of an intervention program for gender creative patients, including identification of patient population, needs assessment, patient-guided iterations, and the current state of the program. Study sample included youth aged 8-18 years and their families from two integrated primary care clinics located in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Needs assessment procedures and data will be reviewed. Presentation will share details of the intervention and procedures, and patient experiences and outcomes will be captured in qualitative data. Quantitative data will include demographic data, diagnostic categories, and average length of care. Preliminary data suggests that patients report a high degree of satisfaction with the current program. Families identify the gender program as their “child’s tribe” and “the best day of the month.” Families also comment on the layers of support, mentoring, and education offered by the intervention.
Objectives
- Describe the development process for an interdisciplinary treatment model for gender creative children, teens, and their families.
- Provide details of a multicomponent and stakeholder approach to affirming gender identity within integrated primary care.
- Highlight qualitative outcomes from patient groups at various stages of program development.
