"I was lucky": Exploring the healthcare experiences of trans and non-binary youth in Alberta

Canadian healthcare is publicly funded, with the roles and responsibilities within the health care system divided between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Provinces and territories have most of the responsibility for delivering health and other social services. There is a paucity of research exploring the specific health care experiences of transgender and non-binary youth in the province of Alberta.

This study investigates the healthcare experiences of transgender and non-binary (TNB) youth (ages 14-25) in Alberta. The research within this paper highlights results from a larger qualitative research project exploring the wider experiences of TNB youth in Alberta. This paper focuses explicitly on healthcare themes emerging from our research project. Given the health disparities between cisgender and transgender youth, our study aims to provide insights into the experiences of TNB youth navigating and accessing healthcare within the province.

Twenty-five participants were interviewed via semi-structured interviews.

This study identified five themes in the participants' experiences: medical provider's lack of knowledge; the youth feeling as though they were "getting lucky"; the effects and impact of wait times; the complexities of navigating the healthcare system; and feeling dignified in making informed choices.

We recommend rescinding current discriminatory legislation and increasing dedicated funding and support for specialized gender-affirmative health clinics (including surgical capacity), social service agencies, and educational programs, as well as improved navigational supports.