"Being trans intersects with my cultural identity": Social determinants of mental health among Asian transgender people

Purpose: While studies on the relationship between social determinants and mental health among transgender people in Asia are increasing, there is a paucity of research on Asian transgender people living in Western countries. This study aimed to examine how social positions (gender, ethnicity, and migrant status) and social determinants of mental health were inter-related for Asian transgender people in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Methods: We analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data from Asian participants (n=49) who responded to the 2018 Counting Ourselves: Aotearoa New Zealand Trans and Non-Binary Health Survey. Results: Overall, 35% reported a very high psychological distress level. There were high levels of unmet needs for gender-affirming care, and participants reported a range of negative experiences at health care settings. About two-fifths had been discriminated because of their transgender (42%) or Asian (39%) identities. Fewer than half of participants felt that their family members were supportive of them being transgender (44%), and most reported they had supportive friends (73%). More than two-thirds of participants (68%) had a strong sense of belongingness to the transgender community and 35% reported this for the Asian community. Qualitative findings revealed specific challenges that participants experienced; these included barriers to accessing health care due to their migrant status and language barriers, influences of Asian cultures on mental health experiences, and rejection by family and people in Asian communities. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence for health care providers, researchers, and policy makers to employ a culturally appropriate lens to improve knowledge about the intersectional experiences of being Asian and transgender

Counting Ourselves: The health and wellbeing of trans and non-binary people in Aotearoa New Zealand

Counting Ourselves is the first comprehensive national survey of the health and wellbeing of trans and non-binary people living in Aotearoa New Zealand and was conducted from 21 June till 30 September 2018. We worked with a diverse community advisory group to design the questions. Our team is based at the University of Waikato and we also collaborated with other academics, health professionals, community organisations and policymakers with an interest in the wellbeing of trans and non-binary people. We had 1,178 survey participants, with 99% of them completing the survey online. The survey had participants from all regions in the country, who ranged in age from 14 to 83. Most were either youth aged 14–24 (46%) or adults aged 25–54 (47%). Almost half (45%) of participants were non-binary, and we had slightly more trans men (29%) than trans women (26%). The survey had a higher proportion of European participants and a lower proportion of Asian participants than the general population. A quarter of participants had a disability

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]