Health-Related Experiences of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Coloradans: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Background: Extant literature on transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people living in the United States is centered on bicoastal metropolitan cities. Little is known about the health status and health-related barriers among TGD people living in the middle of the country. Minority Stress Theory (MST) provides a framework for understanding how TGD people experience stressors that shape their health-related experiences.

Purpose: To describe health-related experiences of TGD people living in Colorado using the MST framework.

Method: The scoping review was limited to peer-reviewed, English-language studies published between January 2018 and November 2023. Data abstraction and synthesis were performed using Thomas and Harden's approach to thematic synthesis.

Results: Twenty-one articles were included in the review. Seventeen (80.9%) articles were quantitative studies, two (9.5%) were qualitative, and two (9.5%) were mixed methods. Most of the participants were transfeminine and 18 years old or younger. Three themes emerged (1) TGD Coloradans experience multiple health-related stressors, (2) these stressors contribute to poor health outcomes, and (3) overcome with coping strategies and/or social support.

Conclusion: TGD Coloradans experience multiple stressors related to their TGD identity that shape their health-related experiences. Nurses play a critical role in intervening in these stressors and addressing care disparities.