Date of Conferral

4-18-2024

Date of Award

April 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Gregory Hickman

Abstract

African Americans struggle to access healthcare because of a combination of overt racism, implicit bias from providers, and the effects of systemic racism. As a result, researchers have studied the challenges of this specific adult population. Less research has been centered on those individuals who are both African American and transgender. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of this population. Guided by intersectionality theory, the study’s research question asked about the experiences of African American transgender adults and their efforts to obtain necessary healthcare services to manage optimal health. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight African American transgender adults in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Thematic analysis yielded the following themes: (a) experiences of gender- and race-based inequalities in healthcare settings, (b) African American transgender adults' practices of overcoming the barriers to accessing healthcare services, (c) healthcare needs of African American transgender adults that are unheard and not addressed by healthcare workers, and (d) difficulties with paperwork and health insurance claims. Gender-based discrimination by health care workers was manifested through denial of treatment, disrespect, and bias. The participants’ gender-based needs were not taken seriously and were not addressed by health care workers. Race-based discrimination included unfair treatment. The results from this study may lead to positive social change through an increase in opportunities for improved education and gender affirmation training for health care providers to remove the barriers that prevent this population from receiving optimal care.

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