Led by Dr. Alex Abramovich, Independent Scientist with IMHPR, the purpose of this study is to investigate health outcomes and health service use and health outcomes among transgender individuals in Ontario by linking administrative healthcare health data. This is the first study to identify transgender individuals in the ICES data repository and to use high quality data from primary care and psychiatric settings to identify a large number of transgender individuals across the age range in Ontario. Dr. Abramovich and his team found that transgender individuals in Ontario are more likely to live in lower income neighborhoods, experience chronic health conditions, and have higher health service use compared to the general population. The higher rates of health service use for mental health and self-harm related reasons may reflect the health service manifestation of stigma and discrimination. Stigma, discrimination, and structural violence create multiple barriers resulting in poor health among transgender individuals. This is the first Canadian study to identify a large cohort of transgender individuals through a primary data linkage using ICES data.
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Areas of Research
Dr. Alex Abramovich has been addressing the issue of 2-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (2SLGBTQ+) youth homelessness for almost 15 years. He is an internationally recognized leader in the area of 2SLGBTQ+ health and homelessness. The overarching aim of his program of research is to investigate the health and social inequities experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, with a focus on understanding and improving the health and service needs of 2SLGBTQ+ youth and young adults.
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Learn more about Dr. Abramovich's research into 2SLGBTQ+ youth homelessness in this video.