Institutional Violence Perpetrated against Transgender Individuals in Health Services: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Abstract

This review aims to analyze the evidence related to violence perpetrated against transgender individuals in health services based on their narratives. This is a systematic literature review of qualitative studies. A search was carried out in the Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases using the descriptors “transgender people”, “violence”, and “health services”. The eligibility criteria included original qualitative articles addressing the research question, with fully available text, reporting violence specifically by health workers, involving trans individuals aged 18 and above, and published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. In addition, studies were included that reported experiences of violence suffered by the trans population, through their narratives, in health services. A total of 3477 studies were found, of which 25 were included for analysis. The results highlighted situations such as refusal of service; resistance to the use of social names and pronouns; barriers to accessing health services; discrimination and stigma; insensitivity of health workers; lack of specialized care and professional preparedness; and a system focused on binarism. The analysis of the studies listed in this review highlights the multiple facets of institutional violence faced by the transgender population in health services. It is evident that the forms of violence often interlink and reinforce each other, creating a hostile environment for the transgender population in health services. Thus, there is an urgent need to create strategies that ensure access to dignified and respectful care for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.