The Role of the Endocrinologist in the Gender Adequacy Process and the Barriers for Adequate Transgender Health Care

The transgender universe comprises a wide range of individuals who do not identify with the gender role related to their birth sex, presenting distinct gender identities that transcend the binary concept of female and male. The follow-up of this population requires specific knowledge and training for its demands and peculiarities. Hormone therapy is a key point in the process of gender adequacy, and despite the increase in demand for specialized health services, there are still many barriers to full and free of prejudice health care. This is a descriptive and exploratory study about the characteristics of the professional training of the doctors involved in transgender health care, in particular the endocrinologist, and to enable an overview of the doctor-patient relationship and medical follow-up in the context of transsexuality in the Federal District. For this purpose, questionnaires were used for physicians: endocrinologists, family and community physicians, urologists, and psychiatrists; and transgender people residents of the Federal District. This study shows that most of the professionals involved in the process of gender adequacy, in particular the endocrinologist, do not present confidence or knowledge to accomplish it, and prejudice is still presented in a striking way in health care. In Federal District, services are not adequately structured for the care of this population, both from the perspective of doctors and transgender people. Moreover, in this sample, it was observed that the higher degree of specific knowledge in the subject increases the sensation of confidence of the professional to treat transgender people but does not correlate with the prejudice.