Access to and utilization of contraceptive and abortion services among transmasculine individuals
Contraception
Awarded 2017
Small Research Grants
Madina Agenor, ScD, MPH
Harvard University
$15,000

Transmasculine individuals – i.e., people assigned a female sex at birth who self-identify as men, male, transgender men, female-to-male (FTM), or a non-binary gender identity along the masculine continuum – are at risk of unintended pregnancy. However, transmasculine people face substantial barriers to health care that may undermine their access to and utilization of contraceptive and abortion services. These barriers include health insurance discrimination, a lack of access to a regular healthcare provider, stigma and discrimination in health care settings, and limited health care provider training in transgender health. Research pertaining to the sexual and reproductive health of transmasculine individuals is scarce, and the majority of studies have focused on cervical cancer screening and HIV risk and prevention. To date, no published study has examined transmasculine individuals’ contraception or abortion needs or experiences. Thus, we will conduct a study that aims to: 1) explore transmasculine individuals’ perceptions of and attitudes toward contraception and abortion; 2) identify the barriers to and facilitators of contraceptive and abortion services use among transmasculine individuals; and 3) understand the experiences of transmasculine individuals who have utilized contraceptive and abortion services. Using a purposive sampling strategy and in collaboration with local health care institutions and community-based organizations, we will recruit transmasculine individuals aged 18-44 years who reside in the greater Boston area to participate in 20 in-depth interviews. Research findings will be disseminated to academic, healthcare, and community audiences through manuscripts, presentations, and factsheets and will help inform future qualitative and quantitative data collection and evidence-based interventions.