PMON240 Attitude To Transgender Care Among Medical Students And Doctors In Poland.
Authors: Trofimiuk-Muldner Malgorzata , Matwiej Katarzyna , Zawadzka Karolina , Sokołowski Grzegorz , Hubalewska-Dydejczyk Alicja 
Published: November 2022

Attitude To Transgender Care Among Medical Students, And Doctors In Poland.

Background

A significant body of research indicates that transgender and gender-nonconforming persons represent an underserved population susceptible to health care disparities. Fundamental education on the endocrine and psychological aspects of gender incongruence included in the curriculum could improve healthcare for transgender people.

Specific Aim

Assessment of coverage of transgender care issues in education curricula of medical students and doctors, considering access to educational workshops, satisfaction with obtained knowledge, and the perception of comfort level while providing health care to transgender persons.

Methods

Two online questionnaires consisting of 16 questions were addressed to medical students of 10 universities and of 13 questions to graduated doctors in Poland employing social media of scientific groups. The survey included gender incongruence education, attitude to therapeutic approach, and professional comfort while providing transgender medical care.

Results

A total of 331 medical students and 105 doctors responded to the online survey; 277 (83.68%) and 70 (66.67%) fully answered questionnaires, respectively, were analyzed. Most respondents were students in their fourth year (n=65; 23.46%) and doctors who specialized in endocrinology (n=53; 75.71%) with seniority between 10-20 years. The majority of students did not have the opportunity to take part in workshops on transgender medicine (n=213; 76.89%); 223 (80.50%) of them expressed willingness to have transgender health care more extensively covered in the educational curricula. Among doctors, 40 (57.14%) respondents did not have any training on gender incongruence in the specialization curricula. Moreover, doctors who had the opportunity to participate in workshops were unsatisfied (n=10; 71.43%). Assessment of the medical students’ attitude to the therapeutic options revealed that 18 respondents (6.50%) perceived gender incongruence as a mental disorder; among this group, the majority came from small towns (under 500 000 citizens) and did not know any transgender person (n=15; 83.33%). The vast majority of students (n=256; 92.42%) and doctors (n=56; 80%) supported hormone therapy and surgical procedures. Twenty-three doctors (32.86%) denied providing professional medical care to transgender people, as the reason they indicated most frequently lack of experience and lack of competencies (n=21; 91.30%). Despite the deficiency of transgender education in curricula, 33 respondents (47.14%) provided medical care to transgender people as part of their specialization competencies. Considering the comfort level of delivering health care to transgender patients among students, rated on a scale of 0-5, the most significant difference in approach to transgender and cisgender subjects was revealed in performing a physical examination (average scores 3.70 and 4.20, respectively).

Conclusion

Medical students and doctors in Poland expressed insufficient education on transgender health care. Knowing a transgender person changes students’ attitudes towards health care issues related to gender incongruence.

Presentation: Monday, June 13, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.