Caring for Transgender People in Healthcare: A Qualitative Study with Hospital Staff in Croatia

Abstract

Transgender and gender-diverse people have greater health risks due to increased social stress and face a disadvantaged position in the healthcare system as a result of the stigma associated with their gender identity. Due to the lack of research in Croatia on the position of transgender people in the healthcare system, this research was intended to supplement the knowledge about the experiences of hospital staff in the Croatian healthcare system when caring for patients with transgender identities. Qualitative research was conducted using an interview method. The participants (n = 10) were healthcare managers or hospital care team members. The collected data were processed through thematic analysis. The results show that some participants had had no encounters with transgender patients and those who had described them as unproblematic or had only encountered them at a level of basic healthcare. They also described how they perceive transgender people and their life circumstances. The participants described how they envision potential encounters with this group of patients and what they consider necessary to improve the position of this group within the healthcare system. In the discussion part of the article, we assess the need for additional training regarding hospital staff, especially in terms of diversity competence, and for an increase in the visibility of transgender patients.