PHARMACISTS' lack of knowledge about gender affirmation therapies may affect transgender and gender diverse (TGD) patients' confidence in accessing care through pharmacies, new research reveals.
A study by James Cook University published in Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, found TGD patients faced "major challenges of accessing care from pharmacies included anticipated anxiety of accessing care, healthcare system constraints, compromised privacy and confidentiality at the pharmacy, and being challenged about their gender".
The authors noted that many of the participants in the study expressed concerns about being "outed" to other customers or pharmacy staff due to a perceived lack of privacy within a store.
"When I first started to transition, I wasn't presenting female, and this caused some consternation with the pharmacist," a transwoman said.
"Wanted to know if I was the person on the prescription if - why I wanted the hormones.
"They were quite loud about it, and it was quite embarrassing.
"This was all done in a very public manner in a very public place.
"It was excruciating, to be quite honest."
Participants expected pharmacists to educate themselves about TGD people to avoid the need for inappropriate personal questions.
"Don't ask me invasive questions; obviously, they need to ask have you had this before, do you know about the side effects," a transman said.
"So, they normally do that for most of my medicine, so like normal medical questions, they'll ask.
"That's their job. Nothing like invasive that you wouldn't ask a person."
Other respondents urged pharmacists to be aware that while transitioning is complex "pharmacists should know that being transgender is not an illness".
The authors said that pharmacies could develop and display their non-discrimination policies to indicate their support for people with diverse gender identities and sexualities.
"These little signs of inclusivity are important for TGD people to feel safe and welcomed and may ease the anxiety of accessing care from pharmacies," they said.
"Being a multicultural society, Australian pharmacists may be aware of the cultural differences and that they are required to provide care to all clients respecting the clients' cultural backgrounds.
"Education about gender terminology and gender affirmation therapies for TGD people has enhanced pharmacists' and pharmacy students' attitudes and knowledge of providing care to TGD people."
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