“I Think There's Only Two Fields for That”: Hospital Registrar Attitudes and Practices for Collecting Patient Gender Identity Data

Abstract

Purpose:

This study aimed to understand the experiences of hospital registrars in collecting gender identity data.

Methods:

A qualitative study that thematically analyzed key informant interviews with 37 registrars regarding their attitudes and practices in collecting gender identity data.

Results:

Collection of gender identity is influenced by (1) system-level barriers, (2) discrepancies in source of truth for documentation, and (3) registrars' underlying attitudes and behaviors.

Conclusions:

Findings demonstrate that person- and system-level barriers can interfere with the accurate and respectful collection of gender identity data, which is critical for tracking and addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer health disparities.

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