Coping with Gender Dysphoria in a Rural Environment during Adolescence

Gender dysphoria is socially more visible and discussed today, but still underdiagnosed. It refers to distress and/or impaired function caused by inconsistency between the sex assigned at birth and gender identification. Clinical manifestations are variable. Lack of training and investment in gender issues make the diagnosis and management in primary care complex, particularly in conservative and isolated communities, with poor access to information and specialized health services. We describe the diagnosis of gender dysphoria and use of a patient centered multidisciplinary and family approach in a 12-year-old rural born adolescent, assigned female at birth. Our aim is to raise awareness of early symptoms and signs of gender dysphoria and problems faced by transgender people and their families during childhood, leading to gender dysphoria, and we hope our successful approach might improve healthcare provision for these patients, particularly in rural areas.