Transgender Population: Point of Care for Oral and Sexually Transmitted Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Transgender are under-represented and marginalized. They rarely access conventional health-provider systems due to mistrust and fear of censure. While this community has been studied from point of care (POC) at sexually transmitted infectious disease and oral disease treatment delivery, very few literature is found. This exploratory article tries to discuss the health and management of the transgender. This article is focussed to ensure that every transgender patient deserves proper healthcare delivery with all dignity and respect. Providers should create welcoming environments that facilitate disclosure of gender identity and sexual orientation. Clinics should document gender identity and sex assigned at birth for all patients to improve sexual health care for transgender and gender nonbinary persons. Assessment of gender identity and sex assigned at birth has been validated among diverse populations, has been reported to be acceptable, and might result in increased patients identifying as transgender. Lack of medical provider knowledge and other barriers to care (e.g., discrimination in health care settings or denial of services) often result in transgender and gender nonbinary persons avoiding or delaying preventive care services and incurring missed opportunities for HIV and STI prevention services. Gender-inclusive and trauma-guided health care might increase the number of transgender patients who seek sexual health services, including STI testing, because transgender persons are at high risk for sexual violence. The purpose of this article is to sincerely help naive researchers, by providing them with the information they need to look into the transgender community, and we anticipate that it will lead to for them to proceed in the proper path for a noble cause.