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= OSHU Transgender Health Program = OSHU’s Transgender Health Program provides health care for the underrepresented transgender community. The goal of OSHU is to deliver care to the people that desperately need it. There are many obstacles that transgender people face. The transgender community is heavily discriminated against and they have a hard time getting care for their specific needs because healthcare professionals are unknowledgeable about how to treat them or they refuse to care for them.

Transgender individuals have and are still being discriminated against. These individuals are constantly berated by people that do not agree with the choices that they make. And one of the largest reasons that transgender people face inequality is due to a lack of public understanding of transgender people. Hate crimes against trans people are common even recently, and in some instances, inaction by police or other government officials leads to the untimely deaths of transgender victims. The constant shame and stigma that transgender people face takes a toll on their mental health. It was found that transgender youth had a significantly higher risk for depression, anxiety, and suicide when compared to cisgender youth matched controls. Transgender individuals should not have to be afraid to express themselves the way that they want to. And they should not have to deal with their mental health alone. When transgender people are left to deal with their problems alone they may not make the best decisions. There are findings that reveal a link between psychological distress and substance use as well as sex while under the influence. Transgender individuals should be able to acquire care that will improve their mental health.

It is also hard for individuals when they do have the opportunity to converse with a healthcare professional because their providers may ask them unnecessary questions about their gender identity or transition. Transgender individuals should not have to explain themselves every time they are receiving care from a hospital. Individuals should feel confident that their provider respects their identity and will not true to ask further questions that may make the patient uncomfortable.

Not only do transgender people have a hard time finding a place to receive care, but they also have a hard time finding a healthcare professional that is either knowledgeable about their specific needs or accepting of who they choose to be. There are states that allow doctors to decide whether a person can move forward in their treatment. LGBTQ people face disturbing rates of health care discrimination—from harassment and humiliation by providers to being turned away by hospitals, pharmacists, and doctors. It is necessary for transgender people to receive the care that they are in need of without having to worry if the healthcare professional that they are receiving care from actually understands what they are doing. Healthcare professionals should be educated about the specific care that transgender people need. Being knowledgeable on the specific care that needs to be delivered to transgender individuals would help those individuals get over the fear of not being understood by their healthcare provider. In order to make healthcare professionals more knowledgeable, there needs to be systemic change in provider education and training, along with health care system adaptations to ensure appropriate, safe, and respectful care. If transgender individuals are too fearful of what could happen when they are receiving care, then they are more likely to postpone or never ask for help. The fear of asking for help from healthcare professionals can lead to treatment gaps and delayed care, which will inevitably lead to more health issues that could have been solved earlier.

OSHU’s Transgender Health Program allows their patients to feel confident that they are getting the best treatment and care that they deserve. There should be no reason that a transgender individual should be declined from receiving specific care that every other individual has access to. At OHSU, patients have the ability to rely on the healthcare professionals there because they are knowledgeable on how to treat the specific needs of transgender individuals.