Emergency department presentations by trans and gender diverse people in Sydney, Australia: Retrospective case series

Objective

Comprehensively describe patient and presentation characteristics of trans and gender diverse (TGD) people attending the ED.

Methods

Retrospective case series that evaluated TGD people of all ages presenting to a tertiary, inner-city ED in Sydney, New South Wales, over a 5-year period. TGD people were identified using the ED patient tracking system, triage text and clinical notes in the electronic medical records (eMR). Patient and presentation data were extracted and descriptively analysed, including clinical characteristics, mismatches in registered gender and name, and use of non-affirming language in discharge letters.

Results

A total of 340 TGD patients with 1519 ED presentations were identified. The number of ED presentations per year by TGD people increased by 74.2% over 5 years. Presentations were prioritised Australasian Triage Scale category 1–3 in 76.7%. Hospital admission was required in 25.5%, and 8.7% left prior to treatment completion. Suicidal ideation was the most common presenting problem (13.8%) and mental health was the most common ED diagnostic category (29.4%). The gender and name registered in the eMR correctly matched the patient's current identity in 47.1% and 56.8%, respectively. Misgendering and/or deadnaming occurred in 22.6% of those receiving an ED discharge letter.

Conclusion

Most TGD people identified by the present study had high acuity ED presentations, often presenting with acute mental health problems, and one-quarter were subsequently admitted to hospital. Mismatched patient details and misgendering and/or deadnaming on discharge letters were common. These findings highlight clear opportunities to improve the care of TGD people in the ED.