Utilization of Health Care Among Female-to-Male Transgender Individuals in the United States

Female-To-Male (FTM) transgender individuals were approached at a conference and several peer support groups in the United States and asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding their medical care. Results from the 122 completed questionnaires indicated that a high number of respondents were taking testosterone (n = 106) and had some gender-confirming surgery (n = 68). Seventy percent of respondents rated their overall quality of health care "good" or "excellent." A surprising finding was the low number (7%) reporting diagnoses of polycystic ovarian syndrome--the incidence of which has been reported elsewhere as high as 50%. Also notable were the high levels of employment, insurance, knowledge of standards of care, and access to providers, contrasting with reports from studies involving predominantly Male-To-Female (MTF) individuals. Finally, FTM's usage of transition-related medical resources can vary, but many within this study are foregoing genital surgery.