Stigma among transgender and gender-diverse people accessing healthcare: A concept analysis

Aim To provide a timely analysis around the concept of stigma among transgender and gender-diverse people accessing healthcare. Background While research on stigma has been prolific in other disciplines, the literature on stigma-especially among transgender and gender-diverse people-have been limited in nursing. A clear definition of stigma among transgender/gender-diverse people is also lacking in the nursing literature. Design Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis. Data sources PubMed and CINAHL databases were used to retrieve English language records from February 2016 to February 2021. Influential literature from sociology and psychology and an online dictionary and thesaurus were also used to clarify the concept. Methods Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis was used to search the scientific literature to clarify and describe the antecedents, defining attributes, consequences and empirical referents of stigma among transgender/gender-diverse people accessing healthcare. Results A clear definition of stigma was identified. The defining attributes of stigma-labelling, stereotype, separation, status loss and discrimination-reflect its definition. Without asymmetrical power relationships, stigma will not exist. The consequences of stigma include negative and positive outcomes. Conclusion While this concept analysis provides clarification of stigma, further exploration of the concept is needed. Furthermore, this concept analysis illustrates how nurses are strategically positioned to disrupt the power structures that allow stigma to operate. Understanding the concept of stigma also enables nurses to create equitable and multifaceted inventions to improve healthcare access among transgender and gender-diverse people.