Exploring Barriers, Perceptions, and Lived Experiences of Hospitalization Among Transgender Individuals in Karachi
A Phenomenological Study
Abstract
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This study investigated the obstacles, perceptions, and lived experiences of hospitalization among transgender individuals in Karachi. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was employed. Participants were intentionally recruited via community-based non-governmental organizations in Karachi, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were administered in Urdu or English. The interviews were recorded, transcribed word for word, and then analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. The findings showed that there were problems that kept happening during admission, like being denied admission, having to wait for treatment, being put in the wrong ward, not having privacy, being misgendered, being verbally harassed, being scared, and being emotionally distressed. Participants often characterized hospitals as perilous and disrespectful settings, resulting in diminished trust in healthcare providers and increased reluctance to pursue future medical care. Community organizations were seen as a very important source of referrals and emotional support. The study suggests that staff training should take gender into account, that admission and documentation procedures should be respectful, that privacy should be protected, that safe ward placement practices should be used, and that more work should be done with community groups that are friendly to transgender people.
Keywords:
Barriers to care, Healthcare discrimination, Hospitalization, Transgender health, Transgender individualsReferences
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