Degree Name
DrPH (Doctor of Public Health)
Program
Public Health
Date of Award
5-2023
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Deborah Slawson
Committee Members
Joel Hillhouse, Stacey Williams, Katie Baker
Abstract
Background: Transgender or nonbinary (TNB) individuals in the United States experience higher rates of sexual and reproductive health disparities when compared to their cisgender counterparts, along with lower access to care. TNB people in the south experience higher rates of disparities. Societal, interpersonal, and individual barriers contribute to these disparities in the TNB population. However, there is a paucity of research examining the sexual and reproductive health experiences of TNB people living in Central Appalachia.
Methods: An interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) research design was used to collect and analyze semi-structured interviews with TNB individuals living in central Appalachia regarding their sexual and reproductive health experiences. Transcribed interviews were analyzed repeatedly by the primary investigator and the study equity committee to identify emergent themes which focused on understanding an individual’s lived experiences through interpretation.
Results: Twenty participants from eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina from four Appalachian states within three Appalachian sub-regions participated in this study. Four themes were identified: a) perceptions and/or experiences receiving SRH healthcare shaped the individual’s self-agency regarding accessing and receiving SRH care, along with influencing their sense of self regarding their gender; b) heteronormative expectations within the medical field influenced interactions with providers and the care system; c) community is integral to SRH experiences, and d) policy and laws impact willingness and ability to access SRH care.
Discussion: TNB individuals living in central Appalachia experience individual, interpersonal, community, and social factors that impact their sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences. By addressing these factors based on recommendations from participants, public health leaders, policy makers, and providers can improve sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences of TNB people living in central Appalachia.
Document Type
Dissertation - embargo
Recommended Citation
Harless, Chase, "Exploring Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Central Appalachia Through the Experiences of Transgender and Gender Non-Binary People" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4202. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4202
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons, Social Justice Commons