The importance of early and accurate service information for young people accessing gender care

Abstract

Abstract Relevant and accurate information is crucial for patient access to healthcare. In the current literature, the availability and provision of information have been proposed to be key barriers to young people accessing gender care. However, it is unclear what kind of information young people want and how clinical services should address this access barrier. Here, we share the results of qualitative interviews with 14 young adults (aged 18–22) who accessed gender care as minors (under 18 years old) in Australia. Three themes were identified from the data: (1) information seeking, (2) a lack of information affects expectations, and (3) a lack of information impacts decision making about accessing care. Participants looked for at least three types of information prior to accessing gender care: medical, experiential, and service information. Our results highlight the key gap was information about services and how they work. Clinical services should consider their practical and ethical role in providing accurate and reliable service information to young people, prior to the clinical encounter.