The report is the first collection of data on transgender and nonbinary health research priorities from the Four Corners Network; findings can make future research projects more relevant, ethical, and beneficial to TNB individuals.
Washington, DC – Today, the Four Corners: Trans & Nonbinary (TNB) Health Research Advisory Network, a partnership with Whitman-Walker Institute’s Research program, announced the release of its first report entitled Health Research Priorities Among TNB Communities. The innovative community-led research advisory network released findings identifying priority areas and directions for researchers looking to develop patient-centered projects focused on addressing the health needs of TNB communities.
Read the full report, Health Research Priorities among TNB Communities here.
Findings from the Four Corners network can make future research projects more relevant, ethical, and beneficial to TNB individuals, whose voices and experiences are often overlooked or ignored.
The major findings identified by the researchers and TNB community members from across the country are:
Community-identified Research Priorities:
- – Gender-affirming Medicine & Health Outcomes
- – Reproductive Health, Fertility, & Family Planning
- – Nonbinary-specific Research
Directions for Ethical & Meaningful Research on TNB Health:
- – The Need for Diversity & TNB Leadership among Research Teams
- – Visibility & Community Benefit
- – Trust, Transparency, & Accessibility
“Access to data on the health needs and priorities of transgender and non-binary communities is a major first step in better understanding and meeting the care needs of these communities,” said Christopher Cannon, Director of Research Operations at Whitman-Walker Institute. “Data drives decisions and funding priorities, and translates into how health systems are built to respond to the health needs of intersecting TNB communities across gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, age, disability, socioeconomic status and national origin. It is our hope that this report and the community-led Four Corners collaboration helps strengthen the trust between community and clinical research.”
“Trans and nonbinary people need to be at the table to represent our communities. Four Corners research finally brings healthcare professionals, researchers, and community members together to address TNB health inequities,” said Four Corners Network Member, Bo Hwang.
Four Corners is a network made up of researchers, clinicians, and TNB community members from three Federally Qualified Health Centers: Howard Brown Health in Chicago, The Los Angeles LGBT Center in Los Angeles, and Whitman-Walker Institute in Washington, D.C. Together, the organizations serve over 10,000 TNB-identified patients and clients. The network officially launched in 2018, read the press release here.
This work was funded through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award (EA #10754).
###
Media Inquiries: Abby Fenton: 202.380.6143 / afenton@whitman-walker.org
About Whitman-Walker Institute: Whitman-Walker Institute is one of the country’s premiere organizations focused on advancing the health and wellbeing of people facing barriers to quality care, particularly LGBTQ people and people living with HIV, through the strategic integration of clinical expertise, research acumen, quality education and policy change. The Institute endeavors to remain grounded in community by seeking feedback and promoting ideas that reflect the lived experiences and identified needs of those we serve. The Institute conducts cutting edge research and engages in evidence-based education and policy advocacy to end the HIV epidemic, eliminate health disparities, and promote wellness and resiliency. Through such work, we empower all persons to live healthy, love openly and achieve equality and inclusion.
Four Corners is a diverse network of health care providers, trans and nonbinary (TNB) community members, and researchers in the U.S. committed to participant-driven health research that is relevant, beneficial, and accessible to the TNB community.
