In Chile, health care for transsexual users is offered in a context marked by territorial inequality in terms of access to trans-specific services in the process of corporal adaptation. At the same time, sanitary norms that regulate the treatment of transsexual users in relation to their gender identity are not fully complied with, which facilitates discrimination and transphobia. These health care experiences, and their subsequent impact on the users’ quality of life and well-being, still remain poorly addressed. Objective: To explore the experiences of transsexual users in the Chilean health care system and the meaning the users assign to those experiences, in relation to the respect shown for their gender identity. Materials: Exploratory, interpretative qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 transsexual individuals; this sample size was determined by the data saturation point. The Hermeneutic Content Analysis method was used. Results: The Chilean health care system tends to not respect the gender identity of transsexual individuals; nevertheless, participants reported that the care they receive at Las Higueras Hospital of Talcahuano improves their quality of life. Conclusion: Gender-respectful health care has a positive impact on the dignity of transsexual individuals, which is why it is essential to replicate this model of care.
Author Biographies
Carla Donoso, Universidad de Concepción. Facultad de Ciencias Sociales
Antropóloga
Soledad Nuñez, Universidad de Concepción
Matrona, Magíster en Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, Universidad de Concepción. Hospital de Osorno
Jaime Parra-Villarroel, Universidad de Concepción. Facultad de MedicinaDepartamento de Obstetricia y Puericultura
Donoso, C., Nuñez, S., & Parra-Villarroel, J. (2019). The meaning That transexual individuals assign to their experiences in the Chilean health care system. Revista Chilena De Salud Pública, 22(2), p. 126–134. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5281.2018.53235
