Sampling Transgender Communities to Assess Healthcare Access and Develop Public Health Programs

Most research on transgender healthcare is based on small, nonprobability samples. Since many transgender people are reluctant to participate in studies, a transgender task force and university research group worked together as full partners to assess provision of transgender health services in a southern US state. Online and paper questionnaires were used for a statewide health assessment. The hypothesis that sample characteristics and findings would vary by response mode was tested (N=350). 61% responded online; 39% completed paper forms. Modality differences in sociodemographics, geography, and public health indicators were explored, using SAS, sign. set at .05. Online respondents were significantly older, had higher incomes, were 4 times as likely to finish high school, 2-5 times more likely to have health insurance. Online responders were primarily Caucasian (85%); the paper sample was promarilty racial/ethnic minorities (71%). Public health indicators (substance abuse and mental health) did not vary by response mode; higher percentages of paper responders experienced sexual violence.