DOI: 10.3886/icpsr37938
title: TransPop, United States, 2016-2018
title: Archival Version

description: The TransPop study is the first national probability sample of transgender individuals in the United States (it also includes a comparative cisgender sample). A primary goal of this study was to provide researchers with a representative sample of transgender people in the United States. The study examines a variety of health-relevant domains including health outcomes and health behaviors, experiences with interpersonal and institutional discrimination, identity, transition-related experiences, and basic demographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, religion, political party affiliation, marital status, employment, income, location, sex, gender, and education).
Co-investigators (in alphabetical order): Walter O. Bockting, Ph.D. (Columbia University); Jody L. Herman, Ph.D. (UCLA); Sari L. Reisner, Ph.D. (Harvard University and The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health).
description: This study is the first national probability sample of transgender individuals in the U.S. and thus will be provide a more accurate and detailed picture of the issues faced by transgender people. To date, what researchers know about the transgender population comes from studies that do not use random selection methods. While those studies provided valuable information about transgender lives, they may not accurately represent the population. With a probability sample, this study provides researchers and policy makers with unbiased estimates about demographics, health outcomes and well-being, and health care needs of the transgender population, which will be crucial for designing evidence-based public health and policy interventions.
<b>TransPop Study aims to...</b>
Describe demographic parameters of the U.S. transgender population, such as race/ethnicity, age, gender identity, education, employment, etc.
Describe basic health outcomes and health behaviors, such as health status, health care access, quality of life, etc.
Describe experiences of transgender people with interpersonal and institutional discrimination in areas such as healthcare, employment, housing, etc.
Describe transgender identity history and transition-related experiences.
description: Two data sources contribute to the TransPop study. The first source is the TransPop survey, which was administered to transgender people, including gender nonbinary people who identify as transgender (but not gender nonbinary individuals who did not identify as transgender). The second data source includes a national probability sample of cisgender respondents, collected for comparison to the TransPop sample. The transgender and cisgender data sources were combined to create one dataset that includes both samples. This dataset is described in more detail on page 5 of the User Guide.
description: Variables include demographic information, community characteristics, sexual attraction and activity, other's perception of respondent's gender, interest in and access to gender-affirming treatment, health care access and general health status, mental health, violence victimization, discrimination, employment, housing, and other general questions about the transgender experience. Some variables primarily relevant to transgender respondents are omitted from the cisgender data.
description: Both the TransPop and Cisgender datasets have the same variable named WEIGHT as the weighting variable. The combination datasets have a set of three weight variables (WEIGHT_TRANSPOP, WEIGHT_CISGENDER, WEIGHT_CISGENDER_TRANSPOP). The results will be representative of the sample when the weight is applied. Pages 41 and 42 of the user guide contain instructions that detail how to apply the final sample weight using Stata or SPSS.
description: Response Rates: The Period 1 sample was recruited between April 2016 and August 2016. In total, 149,593 participants were screened by Gallup for inclusion in the study, of which 185 (0.12%) were classified as transgender and eligible to participate in the study. Of those eligible, 136 (73.5%) agreed to participate in the survey and of those, 56 (41.2%) completed the survey, for a total response rate of 30.3% (among those initially eligible).
The Period 2 sample was recruited between June 2017 and December 2018. In total, 432,251 participants were screened by Gallup for inclusion in the study, of which 929 (0.21%) were classified as transgender and eligible to participate in the study. Of those eligible, 668 (71.9%) agreed to participate in the survey and of those, 270 (40.4%) completed the survey, for a total response rate of 28.7% (among those initially eligible).
The final TransPop sample size is 274. The cisgender sample was recruited between February 19-23, 2018 and November 12- December 10, 2018. In total, 4,020 participants were screened by Gallup for inclusion in the study. In total, 87.6% (N = 3,523) were eligible to participate based on the final eligibility criteria. Of those eligible, 2,548 (72.3%) agreed to participate in the survey and of those, 1,184 (46.7%) completed the survey, for a total response rate of 33.6% (among those initially eligible). Of these, 22 respondents were dropped due to missing data leaving a final sample size of 1,162.
description: Presence of Common Scales: Several items from the TransPop study are part of validated scales, designed to measure constructs relevant to identity, stress, and health. Each of the scales within the TransPop survey have been calculated from individual variables, according to published instructions, detailed below. Two calculated variables are included in the dataset for each of the scales: an un-imputed version and an imputed version. The unimputed version has missing values for participants who were missing on one or more items that make up the scale. The imputed variable has no missing values. The steps taken to create each scale are described on page 26 of the Survey Methods document.
These scales include:
Social Well-being
Satisfaction with life
Multi-group ethnic identity
Community connectedness
Non-affirmation of gender identity (transgender sample only)
Healthcare stereotype threat (Transgender sample only)
Psychological Distress, Kessler-6
Alcohol Use (AUDIT-C)
Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT)
Internalized transphobia (Transgender sample only)
Everyday discrimination
Chronic strains
Childhood gender nonconformity
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
Gender identity non-disclosure (Transgender sample only)
Negative expectations of the future (Transgender sample only)
Social support
description: <b>TransPop Sample</b>:
<b>Period 1:</b>
The Period 1 sample was recruited between April 2016 and August 2016. In total, 149,593 participants were screened by Gallup for inclusion in the study, of which 185 (0.12%) were classified as transgender and eligible to participate in the study. Of those
eligible, 136 (73.5%) agreed to participate in the survey and of those, 56 (41.2%)
completed the survey, for a total response rate of 30.3% (among those initially eligible).
<b>Period 2:</b>
The Period 2 sample was recruited between June 2017 and December 2018. In total, 432,251 participants were screened by Gallup for inclusion in the study, of which 929 (0.21%) were classified as transgender and eligible to participate in the study. Of those eligible, 668 (71.9%) agreed to participate in the survey and of those, 270 (40.4%) completed the survey, for a total response rate of 28.7% (among those initially eligible).
The final TransPop sample size is 274.
<b>Cisgender Sample:</b>
The cisgender sample was recruited between February 19-23, 2018 and November 12-
December 10, 2018. In total, 4,020 participants were screened by Gallup for inclusion in
the study. In total, 87.6% (N = 3,523) were eligible to participate based on the final
eligibility criteria. Of those eligible, 2,548 (72.3%) agreed to participate in the survey and
of those, 1,184 (46.7%) completed the survey, for a total response rate of 33.6% (among
those initially eligible). Of these, 22 respondents were dropped due to missing data
leaving a final sample size of 1,162.
Further sampling information, including demographics, can be found on pages 14-20 of the user guide.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: TransPop Data for Public-Use
DS2: TransPop Data for Restricted-Use
DS3: Cisgender Data for Public-Use
DS4: Cisgender Data for Restricted-Use
DS5: Combined Data for Public-Use
DS6: Combined Data for Restricted-Use
description: Transgender and cisgender adults age 18 and above who live in the U.S. Smallest Geographic Unit: City
description: mail questionnaire; telephone interview; web-based surveyFor further information, please see the TransPop website.For further information on TransPop's sister study, please see Generations: A Study of the Life and Health of LGB People in a Changing Society (ICPSR 37166).