Affiliations 

  • 1 1 AIDS Program, Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven, Connecticut
  • 2 2 Human Development and Family Studies, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware
  • 3 3 Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 4 Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale University School of Public Health , New Haven, Connecticut
  • 5 5 Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health , Los Angeles, California
LGBT Health, 2018 01;5(1):61-68.
PMID: 29227183 DOI: 10.1089/lgbt.2017.0092

Abstract

PURPOSE: Transgender people are frequent targets of discrimination. Discrimination against transgender people in the context of healthcare can lead to poor health outcomes and facilitate the growth of health disparities. This study explores factors associated with medical doctors' intentions to discriminate against transgender people in Malaysia.

METHODS: A total of 436 physicians at two major university medical centers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, completed an online survey. Sociodemographic characteristics, stigma-related constructs, and intentions to discriminate against transgender people were measured. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression were used to evaluate independent covariates of discrimination intent.

RESULTS: Medical doctors who felt more fearful of transgender people and more personal shame associated with transgender people expressed greater intention to discriminate against transgender people, whereas doctors who endorsed the belief that transgender people deserve good care reported lower discrimination intent. Stigma-related constructs accounted for 42% of the variance and 8% was accounted for by sociodemographic characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS: Constructs associated with transgender stigma play an important role in medical doctors' intentions to discriminate against transgender patients. Development of interventions to improve medical doctors' knowledge about and attitudes toward transgender people are necessary to reduce discriminatory intent in healthcare settings.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.