30 Questions
What percentage of respondents stated that information about a patient being transgender was recorded somewhere to aid the interpretation of laboratory results?
45%
What percentage of respondents reported that historical records would remain linked and would not change following changes to a patient’s recorded name, sex, or gender?
62%
Which test could be requested in both male and female patients according to the majority of respondents?
PSA
What percentage of respondents reported that human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) was the only other measurement restricted by some respondents based on gender?
43%
How many respondents reported that they could select reference intervals using a combination of gender identity, sex assigned at birth, and current organs?
Two
What percentage of respondents reported that when a PSA was reported for females or trans females, the result was reported with no reference interval?
50%
What percentage of respondents reported that when a PSA was reported for females or trans females, the result was reported with the cisgender male reference interval?
38%
How many respondents reported that they could combine multiple fields for sex and gender information to select reference intervals?
None
What percentage of respondents reported that they could select reference intervals using a single ‘sex’ field instead of combining multiple fields for sex and gender information?
100%
What was the percentage of respondents who reported that they had missing reference intervals when a test is reported with a reference interval for one sex but not for another sex?
100%
What percentage of the respondents were based in laboratories in England?
70%
What was the range of daily blood samples processed by the majority of laboratories?
1000-10,000
What type of accreditation did a majority of the laboratories have?
ISO 15189
What was the primary focus of the survey mentioned in the text?
Transgender patient data management
What was the fear that transgender people may have, leading them to avoid seeking medical care?
Fear of discrimination
What does LIMS stand for in the context of the text?
Laboratory Information Management Systems
What is the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) of the research article mentioned in the text?
10.1177/00045632231195484
What month and year was the survey distributed to clinical laboratory professionals?
November 2021
What was the total number of questions covered in the survey?
33
What were the countries included in the survey for capturing current practices in clinical laboratories?
United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland
Which of the following is a challenge with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) in relation to transgender patient needs?
Inability to record a patient's gender identity and sex assigned at birth
What is a specific issue mentioned in the text regarding laboratory calculations and transgender individuals?
Inaccuracy in reflecting true values for transgender individuals in certain laboratory calculations
What did the survey reveal about the majority of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)?
They have a single field for recording sex or gender information
What was the aim of the survey mentioned in the text?
To identify areas of improvement and LIMS requirements for managing transgender patient data and results
What was the duration of the survey's response period?
1 November to 4 December 2021
How were the response data manipulated?
In Microsoft Excel
What was the platform used to host the survey?
SurveyMonkey®
What was the focus of the survey regarding clinical laboratories?
Management of transgender patient data and results
What was the main concern regarding healthcare discrimination against transgender individuals?
Lack of understanding and inappropriate curiosity
What is a significant limitation mentioned in the text regarding Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)?
Inability to record a patient's gender identity and sex assigned at birth
Study Notes
Managing Gender Information in Clinical Laboratories
- Transgender people have a different gender identity from the sex they were assigned at birth, and social movements have increased awareness of transgender rights and discrimination in healthcare.
- Healthcare discrimination against transgender individuals includes lack of understanding, inappropriate curiosity, pressure for medical and psychological investigations, and limited access to transition-related healthcare.
- Laboratory information management systems (LIMS) historically have not been designed with gender diversity and transgender patient needs in mind, contributing to negative healthcare experiences for transgender individuals.
- Challenges with LIMS include the inability to record a patient's gender identity and sex assigned at birth, leading to difficulties in interpreting results and potential disconnection of medical records when changes to name or sex are made.
- LIMS may limit access to certain test requests based on sex or gender, and reference intervals for cisgender individuals may not be appropriate for transgender individuals.
- Some laboratory calculations involving sex or gender variables, such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), may not accurately reflect the true values for transgender individuals due to physiological differences.
- A survey was conducted to capture current practices in UK and ROI clinical laboratories regarding the management of transgender patient data and results throughout the total testing process.
- The survey aimed to identify areas of improvement and LIMS requirements for managing transgender patient data and results.
- The survey was hosted on the SurveyMonkey® platform and emailed to members of relevant associations, and was open for responses from 1 November to 4 December 2021.
- Response data were manipulated in Microsoft Excel, and multiple-choice questions were summarized using simple descriptive statistics, while free text responses were recoded and qualitatively analyzed.
- The survey revealed that a majority of LIMS have a single field for recording sex or gender information, and a significant percentage do not limit test access based on gender or append reference intervals for patients with unknown or indeterminate gender.
- This survey was the first to quantify how clinical laboratories manage sex and gender information and report results for transgender and non-binary patients, and it provides several key recommendations based on the survey responses.
"Managing Gender Information in Clinical Laboratories" Quiz: Test your knowledge on the challenges and best practices for recording and managing gender information in laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to ensure inclusivity and accuracy for transgender and non-binary patients. Explore the findings of a survey on current practices and gain insights into recommendations for improvement.
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