Access Barriers in Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections across Gender and Sexual Identities.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are steadily increasing in incidence. Marginalized communities across social categories (race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality) face the heaviest burden, including Black, indigenous, Latino, queer (gay, bisexual), transgender, and nonbinary populations. These disparities persist even when controlled for high-risk sexual behaviors.

The Vaginal Microbiome of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Individuals.

Purpose: The goal of this preliminary study is to describe the vaginal microbiome of transgender and gender nonbinary (TGNB) individuals using nonculture-based techniques. TGNB individuals may undergo gender-affirming surgical procedures, which can include the creation of a neovagina. Little is known about microbial species that comprise this environment in states of health or disease.

Gender-Affirming Care for Older Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults.

In the United States, it is estimated that 0.3% of Americans aged 65 and older, or almost 172,000 individuals, identify as transgender. Aging comes with a unique set of challenges and experiences for this population, including health care disparities, mental health concerns, and social isolation.

An Exploratory Study to Describe Transgender People with HIV Who Accessed Medicaid and Their Viral Suppression Over Time in New York City, 2013-2017.

Purpose: Although HIV surveillance contains information on HIV outcomes among transgender persons with HIV (TPWH), it does not include other important data, for example, gender-affirming health care, which may influence viral suppression (VS). We describe TPWH accessing Medicaid and the association of gender-affirming surgery with VS.

Methods: Through matching Medicaid claims with HIV registry data, a cohort of previously identified TPWH in Medicaid was compared to cisgender women and men in terms of VS in 2013-2017 in New York City.

Assessing and Addressing the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism Across the Spectrum of Gender Affirming Care: A Review.

Objective: Accumulating evidence demonstrates that gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) improves mental health outcomes in transgender persons. Data specific to the risks associated with GAHT for transgender persons continue to emerge, allowing for improvements in understanding, predicting, and mitigating adverse outcomes while informing discussion about desired effects. Of particular concern is the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the context of both longitudinal GAHT and the perioperative setting.

Improving Data on the HIV Epidemic in New York City by Identifying Transgender Persons in Medicaid in 2013-2017.

Purpose: Undercounting of transgender people with HIV (PWH) in New York City (NYC) remains prevalent. We sought to improve our ability to accurately enumerate transgender PWH and address their needs for gender-affirming health care.

Methods: We enhance previous algorithms used to identify transgender beneficiaries, using diagnoses, prescriptions, and sex at birth from Medicaid claims in 2013-2017.

The Mount Sinai Patient-Centered Preoperative Criteria Meant to Optimize Outcomes Are Less of a Barrier to Care Than WPATH SOC 7 Criteria Before Transgender-Specific Surgery.

With expanding coverage of gender-affirming care in the United States, many insurers default to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care 7 (SOC 7) to establish eligibility requirements for surgery coverage. Informed by bariatric and transplant surgery evaluation models, the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery (CTMS) developed patient-centered criteria to assess readiness for surgery, focusing on concerns that could impair recovery. To make recommendations for the next version of the WPATH SOC, SOC 8, we compared Mount Sinai patient-centered surgical readiness criteria with the WPATH SOC 7 criteria.

Overview of Factors Associated with HIV Viral Load Suppression in Transgender Women.

Background: Transgender women face a significantly higher HIV burden than their cisgender counterparts around the world with worse treatment outcomes in almost all categories.

Content: A mini-review of the available literature discussing HIV risk and factors associated with HIV viral load suppression in transgender women.

Summary: This review discusses the disparities transgender women face that contribute to both of these factors including race as well as social determinants of health and how they affect the HIV treatment cascade in this population.

Infection of the Neovagina in Transgender Women.

We report 2 cases of neovaginal infection in transgender women who underwent penile-inversion vaginoplasty procedures with integrated peritoneum and urethral grafts. These tissue types may have facilitated infection. Medical providers should implement neovaginal screening for bacterial sexually transmitted infections in transgender patients at risk for infection.

Improved Rates of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Transmasculine Patients Through Self-Collected Swabs for High-Risk Human Papillomavirus DNA Testing.

Nearly all cervical cancer cases are caused by one of several high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (hr-HPV). Transmasculine (TM) individuals (persons who have a masculine spectrum gender identity, but were recorded female at birth) have low adherence to standard cervical cancer screening modalities. Introduction of self-collected vaginal swabs for hr-HPV DNA testing may promote initiation and adherence to cervical cancer screening among TM individuals to narrow screening disparities.

A REVIEW OF BREAST DEVELOPMENT IN CISGENDER WOMEN AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSGENDER WOMEN.

The objective of this article is to describe the hormonal pathways required for breast development in cisgender women and to review the current available literature describing breast growth and breast cancer risk in transgender women. Literature review and discussion. Early mammary tissue development occurs prenatally.

Managing the risk of venous thromboembolism in transgender adults undergoing hormone therapy.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potential risk of estrogen therapy. However, data show an improvement in the quality of life for transgender people who use feminizing hormone therapy. With few transgender-specific data, guidance may be drawn from cisgender (nontransgender) data, with a focus on hormonal birth control and postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Identifying Medicare Beneficiaries Accessing Transgender-Related Care in the Era of ICD-10.

The study purpose was to describe trends in the size and demographics of the population of transgender Medicare beneficiaries identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Clinical Modification codes over time. We also assessed how the change from ICD, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) diagnosis codes to ICD, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes in October 2015 has affected the ability to identify transgender beneficiaries within claims data. We used Medicare Fee-for-Service claims within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse from 2010 through 2016 to identify transgender beneficiaries.

Venous Thrombotic Risk in Transgender Women Undergoing Estrogen Therapy: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis.

Background: Transgender women are female individuals who were recorded men at birth based on natal sex. Supporting a person's gender identity improves their psychological health, and gender-affirming hormones reduce gender dysphoria and benefit mental health. For transgender women, estrogen administration has clinically significant benefits.