Gender-Affirming Primary Care Toolkit

Approximately 1-in-300 Canadians over the age of 15 identify as transgender or non-binary, a population disproportionately affected by healthcare inequities (Scheim, 2021). Because primary care providers (PCPs) are often the first point of contact for individuals seeking gender-affirming care (GAC), their capacity to provide knowledgeable, affirming care is critical. In Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), research conducted by TSNL found that 84% of surveyed patients seeking GAC were referred outside their family physician, highlighting systemic barriers to timely and comprehensive care. To better understand these gaps, qualitative interviews with five gender-diverse individuals in rural NL informed a province-wide survey exploring access, barriers, and successes related to GAC over the past five years, revealing recurring challenges such as limited provider knowledge, reliance on referrals, and a lack of affirming clinical environments.

These research findings directly informed the development of an educational toolkit. Part one introduces foundational concepts related to gender identity, inclusive healthcare practices, and strategies for creating welcoming clinical environments, while part two focuses on gender affirming primary healthcare, principles of care, NL specific barriers, clinical conversations, treatment planning, and current standards of care. Ongoing consultation with community members and experienced providers ensured the toolkits accuracy and relevance. Next steps for this project focus on outreach to health clinics, dissemination through academic and professional networks, and delivery of workshops and training opportunities to support more equitable, sustainable access to GAC in NL.

Sydney Knapman (they/she) is a non-binary Program Facilitator for Trans Support NL with a background in applied psychological science. Sydney enjoys creating, implementing, and discussing high-quality, inclusive research and survey practices and how they can benefit research quality. Their personal and professional background has centered around a passion for exploring ways to make research more queer- and community-oriented. This includes emphasizing the importance of involving community members throughout the research process, from project design to knowledge sharing.