Madelaine Aird, Julie L Walters, Alex Ker, Megan H Ross
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: The objective was to explore experiences with and identify barriers and facilitators of utilizing physical therapy for people who identify as transgender, gender diverse, and nonbinary (TGNB).
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was employed using semistructured interviews conducted in New Zealand. Eligible participants were individuals who were 12 years old or older, who self-identified as TGNB, and who had accessed physical therapy at a community-based clinic that also provides a gender-affirming service. Participants were recruited via email invitation to the clinic database. Interview data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Demographics are reported descriptively.
Results: Seventeen individuals (15-64 years old and identifying as 11 different genders) participated. All participants reported physical therapy experiences relating to 1 or more of the following 4 themes: challenging cisnormativity at policy, environmental, clinic, and therapist levels; safety and trust throughout the clinical experience, including clinic credibility for being a safe provider, clinic displays of TGNB inclusivity, implementation of safe clinic processes, and respectful therapist interactions; inclusive experiences in a clinic that provided affordable care and took active steps to understand and affirm TGNB identities and with physical therapists who had a high level of knowledge of TGNB-specific health issues and took a biopsychosocial approach to care; and sensitivity to body discomfort or dysphoria triggers. Barriers to and facilitators of care were identified at policy, environmental, clinic, and therapist levels.
Conclusion: People who identify as TGNB face challenges to accessing safe and culturally sensitive physical therapy. However, there are achievable areas for improvement at policy, environmental, clinic, and physical therapist levels to gain trust and engagement in care for the TGNB community.
Impact: This study provides a detailed exploration of TGNB physical therapy experiences and identifies specific areas of improvement for TGNB physical therapy care to provide clinicians and physical therapy clinics insights into the provision of safe and culturally sensitive physical therapy.
期刊介绍:
Physical Therapy (PTJ) engages and inspires an international readership on topics related to physical therapy. As the leading international journal for research in physical therapy and related fields, PTJ publishes innovative and highly relevant content for both clinicians and scientists and uses a variety of interactive approaches to communicate that content, with the expressed purpose of improving patient care. PTJ"s circulation in 2008 is more than 72,000. Its 2007 impact factor was 2.152. The mean time from submission to first decision is 58 days. Time from acceptance to publication online is less than or equal to 3 months and from acceptance to publication in print is less than or equal to 5 months.