Acceptability of an organ inventory for cancer screening across gender identity and intersex status

Heidi Moseson; Sachiko Ragosta; Anu Manchikanti Gómez; Jae Corman; Jay Zussman; Bori Lesser-Lee; Sydney Reese; India Rose Carter-Bolick; Juno Obedin-Maliver

doi:10.1093/jnci/djae336

Acceptability of an organ inventory for cancer screening across gender identity and intersex status

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2024 Dec 13:djae336. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djae336. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Heidi Moseson¹, Sachiko Ragosta¹, Anu Manchikanti Gómez², Jae Corman³, Jay Zussman⁴, Bori Lesser-Lee⁵, Sydney Reese, India Rose Carter-Bolick, Juno Obedin-Maliver⁶

Affiliations

¹ Ibis Reproductive Health, Oakland, CA, USA.
² Sexual Health and Reproductive Equity Program, School of Social Welfare, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America.
³ Oregon Health and Sciences University/Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, OR, USA; FOLX Health, Portland, OR, USA.
⁴ School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francico, CA, United States.
⁵ University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America; The PRIDE Study/PRIDEnet, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA.

PMID: 39672797
DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djae336

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the acceptability and performance of an organ inventory as an alternative to asking about gender and/or sex assigned at birth in cancer screening.

Methods: We fielded an online, self-administered survey to a convenience sample of English- or Spanish-speaking transgender and gender-diverse (TGD), intersex, and cisgender people (>/=15 years) in the US. The survey contained an organ inventory developed with community input and questions regarding acceptability. The primary outcome was organ inventory acceptability by the four-item Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM). Additional outcomes included inter-method screening agreement between the organ inventory, gender, and sex assigned at birth.

Results: In 2022, 333 eligible individuals completed the survey; 44.4% cisgender, 34.2% TGD, and 14.1% intersex. Overall, participants rated the organ inventory as acceptable (median AIM score = 18/20, IQR: 16-20). Most (73%) found it easy to understand, and comfortable to complete (65%). Cancer screening eligibility varied based on the method used; relying solely on gender or sex data would have missed some eligible participants that the organ inventory identified.

Conclusions: Using an organ inventory as an alternative to gender or sex-based screening questions was acceptable, and has implications for addressing cancer screening disparities.