The Impact of Training in Transgender Care on Healthcare Providers Competence and Confidence: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

All studies to date demonstrate a lack of access to care for transgender people. A few educational efforts in providing care to transgender people have been successful. However, one challenge in administering training is that there is almost no research on the need of healthcare providers (HCP) to acquire knowledge, as well as on the effect of training on their level of competence and confidence in working with transgender people. Results from an online survey of a convenience sample of HCP across four different European countries (N = 810) showed that 52.7% reported experiences with some form of training on transgender people. The mean confidence level for all HCP (with or without training) in working with transgender people was 2.63, with a significant effect of training on confidence. 92.4% of HCP believed that training would raise their competence, and this belief was significantly higher among HCP with training experience, HCP working in Serbia and Sweden and/or among those HCP who belong to a sexual minority group. General practitioners had the lowest confidence levels of all professions involved. The study provided strong support for the use of training in improving healthcare conditions for transgender people, not only to raise awareness among HCP, but also to increase knowledge, competence and confidence levels of HCP in working with transgender people.