Faculty Bibliography

In the United States, it is estimated that 0.3% of Americans aged 65 and older, or almost 172,000 individuals, identify as transgender. Aging comes with a unique set of challenges and experiences for this population, including health care disparities, mental health concerns, and social isolation. It is crucial for clinicians to use a patient-centered and trauma-informed care approach to address their specific needs and provide evidence-based quality health care, including preventive screenings, mental health support, and advocating for legal protections.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the incidence of gender-affirming phalloplasty and complications in a large population-based dataset. METHODS:Retrospective cohort study was done using the California Department of Health Care Access and Information datasets which include patient-level data from all licensed hospitals, emergency departments, and ambulatory surgery facilities in California. Adult patients 18 years or older undergoing gender-affirming phalloplasty in California from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019 were included. We examined phalloplasty-related complications using International Classification of Disease diagnosis and procedure codes and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Unique record linkage number identifiers were used to follow patients longitudinally. Statistical analysis included Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS:We identified 766 patients who underwent gender-affirming phalloplasty in 23 facilities. Of 475 patients with record linkage numbers, 253 (55.3%) had subsequent re-presentations to the inpatient, emergency department, and ambulatory surgery settings related to phalloplasty complications. Survival analysis indicated that 50% of patients re-presented by 1 year post-phalloplasty. Asian/Pacific Islander patients had lower risk of complications, and California residents had higher risk of complications. CONCLUSIONS:This population-based study confirms that gender-affirming phalloplasty has a high complication rate, and demonstrates for the first time an association with high rates of return to hospitals, emergency departments, and ambulatory centers. These findings provide additional higher-level evidence that may aid patient counseling, shared surgical decision making, and institutional and government policy.

Cisgender men are diagnosed with HIV at a rate four times greater than cisgender women, with 71% of infections attributed to male-male sexual contact. Despite expanding accessibility, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention is initiated by only 30% of people with PrEP indications. Five focus groups with 42 young men who have sex with men from New York and Alabama were conducted to identify key factors to PrEP initiation and persistence. Thirty focus group participants completed a survey on demographics, PrEP choices and health care attitudes. Findings suggest provider competency significantly influences PrEP use due to stigmatization in medical settings. Participants noted benefits of PrEP including HIV protection and sexual empowerment, yet barriers like cost and side effects were prevalent. Our findings outline barriers and facilitators to PrEP use among young men who have sex with men in two high priority settings that will inform PrEP care updates in participating clinics.

Gender incongruence describes a condition in which an individual's gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth, based on anatomic characteristics. Individuals with gender incongruence may request surgical interventions, and gender-affirmation surgery plays an important role for these individuals. The basis of care derives from principles elucidated in The Standards of Care; international guidelines that help inform clinical decision-making. Historically, mental healthcare professionals (MHPs) and surgeons have worked collaboratively to select "appropriate" surgical candidates. However, as our understanding of gender identity evolves, so does the relationship between the MHP and the surgeon. The role of the MHP has shifted from a requirement to verify an individual's identity to that of supporting and participating in a shared decision-making process between the individual and their healthcare team. This article discusses the evolution of the relationship between the MHP and surgeon as well as providing insight into the history of this relationship.

To alleviate health disparities experienced by sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients, cancer care professionals need further education on the needs of SGM cancer patients and their loved ones and caregivers. The Together-Equitable-Accessible-Meaningful (TEAM) Training to Improve Cancer Care for SGM Patients (TEAM SGM) was developed and piloted to address this need. This study reports healthcare professional learner outcomes from the TEAM SGM pilot intervention. The TEAM SGM Training pilot consisted of 2.5 h of content from the original online self-paced TEAM Training plus 12 1-h Zoom sessions on specialized topics in addition to readings and activities. Participants (n = 28), representing seven cancer service organizations from six states in the USA, were recruited through newsletter listservs and social media. All participants (n = 28) completed the pre-test and twenty-two participants completed the post-test. Using five factors confirmed in a separate Confirmatory Factor Analysis, paired t-tests of TEAM SGM participant pre- and post-test data were conducted. Statistically significant improvements were found in four of five factors: Environmental Cues (t(21) = 2.56, p = .018), Knowledge (t(21) = 2.15, p = .043), Clinical Preparedness (t(7) = 3.89, p = .006), Clinical Behaviors (t(21) = 2.48, p = .022). The Attitudes factor was not significantly improved from pre-intervention to post-intervention likely due to strong affirming attitudes toward SGM patients at baseline. TEAM SGM is a feasible, effective training to build capacity in SGM-affirming care for cancer care providers.