AHA Highlights Transgender People's Heart Health Disparities
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people face significant health disparities, particularly in cardiovascular health. A recent scientific statement by the American Heart Association (AHA) highlights these issues and calls for systematic improvements.
The AHA's July 2021 statement in Circulation journal reveals that TGD individuals are more likely to experience blood clots during estrogen hormone therapy. Chronic stress, exacerbated by discrimination and barriers to healthcare, contributes to poor health outcomes. Unique psychological stressors, like gender non-affirmation and discrimination, further elevate stress levels and harm heart health.
TGD people, especially those from marginalized racial or ethnic groups, face multiple stressors, including lower income levels and limited healthcare access. They are also more likely to use tobacco and have higher BMIs, with strict BMI cut-offs for gender-affirming surgeries causing additional stress. Systemic transphobic discrimination leads to higher workplace discrimination, job loss, and unemployment, further limiting healthcare access.
The AHA emphasizes the urgent need for more research to understand the complex factors affecting TGD people's heart health. Transgender men, for instance, are twice as likely to have a heart attack as cisgender men and four times as likely than cisgender women. To improve heart health within the TGD community, a multi-pronged approach involving healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, and policymakers is necessary.
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