Knowledge of transgender and gender-diverse healthcare among resident physicians: A study in a northeastern Brazilian tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) refers to people whose gender identity does not correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth. This study evaluated the knowledge of medical residents at a tertiary hospital in northeastern Brazil regarding healthcare for the TGD population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, single-center observational study surveyed medical residents at a tertiary hospital in northeastern Brazil in 2023. It utilized a self-developed online questionnaire, which residents completed voluntarily and anonymously. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses, and multivariate logistic regression were applied to the data. RESULTS: A total of 107 residents completed the questionnaire (40.83% of the eligible cohort); most were clinicians (69.15%). All participants identified as cisgender. Nearly all participants considered it important to understand healthcare for TGD patients. About half reported prior education on the topic; gynecology, obstetrics, and endocrinology residents (specialists) demonstrated the highest rates (p = 0.0009). Approximately 40% of the participants were unaware of where to refer TGD people for specialized care in hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries (p = 0.007). Lack of experience (p = 0.002) was the primary reason among the 30 residents who felt insecure about providing healthcare to TGD patients. CONCLUSION: Residents acknowledge the importance of this field in their practice but demonstrate a lack of specific knowledge and prior education.