Utilization of health care among female-to-male transgender individuals in the United States

Female-To-Male (FTM) transgender individuals were approached at a conference and several peer support groups in the United States and asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding their medical care. Results from the 122 completed questionnaires indicated that a high number of respondents were taking testosterone (n = 106) and had some gender-confirming surgery (n = 68). Seventy percent of respondents rated their overall quality of health care 'good' or 'excellent.' A surprising finding was the low number (7%) reporting diagnoses of polycystic ovarian syndrome-the incidence of which has been reported elsewhere as high as 50%. Also notable were the high levels of employment, insurance, knowledge of standards of care, and access to providers, contrasting with reports from studies involving predominantly MaleTo-Female (MTF) individuals. Finally, FTM's usage of transition-related medical resources can vary, but many within this study are foregoing genital surgery. KEYWORDS. Female-To-Male, FTM, transgender, transsexual, testosterone