Lessons Learned Developing Client Navigation for People who are Trans and Gender Diverse

Abstract:Background: People who are trans and gender diverse (PTGD) are underserved regarding healthcare in Canada, including the province of Saskatchewan.Objectives: Design and conduct a research project that will address immediate and pressing community-identified needs related to improving access to healthcare for PTGD in Saskatchewan.Methods: A multidisciplinary, community-based collaboration was established to address the self-identified obstacles to accessing healthcare of PTGD in Saskatchewan. This resulted in a pilot study creating and evaluating a healthcare navigation program.Lessons Learned: The project led to four key lessons: 1) prioritizing team building and the well-being of team members; 2) committing to community-based participatory approaches from the outset; 3) taking language seriously; and 4) acknowledging and addressing power imbalances in our team.Conclusions: The lessons we learned have enabled us to sustain a large, diverse, research team that centers the experience of PTGD in Saskatchewan and is responsive to community need.