The use of hormone therapy among trans-woman students in government and private university

Abstract

This study aims at carrying out a study into the use of hormone therapy among trans-woman students, who study in bachelor degree (1st - 7th year students), in government and private universities in Prathum Thani province, and their perceptions towards the impacts of hormone therapy usage. The study is conducted on the basis of cross-sectional quantitative research method with aim to understand trans-woman student’s behaviours in using hormone therapy and their motives in using that. Through this research methodology, the study uses questionnaires to conduct a survey with 120 people. Moreover, the study also applies a qualitative research method of in-depth interviews with 16 people in order to understand their positive and negative perceptions towards the impacts of hormone therapy usage. Data analysis for this research is based on the methodology of descriptive statistics using SPSS program, and content analysis.
According to the results from the study, it shows that the most common type of hormone therapy among trans-women students is by taking, followed by injecting and implanting, respectively. When analyzed in terms of their behaviours in buying hormones and the sources where hormones are being sold, the study reflects that trans-woman students are most likely to buy hormones from sellers, who are transgenders. Drug stores are the most popular place, where they go to buy hormones from. Their primary motivations for using hormone therapy is that they want to have their outer appearance to look more like women e.g. having more beautiful skin, bigger breast, more tightened pore size, and preparing their body for sex reassignment surgery in the future. In this regard, trans-woman students from government and private universities have similar perceptions. However, their behaviors in using hormone therapy are quite different. The study also shows that trans-woman students from government and private universities have the same positive and negative perceptions towards physical and mental impacts of hormone usage. But their opinions in the sense of mental impacts and economic status are observed to be different.
As for recommendations from this study, the researcher opines that it is important for drug stores to play a more significant role in providing comprehensive knowledge including benefits and impacts from using hormone medicines for trans women. Furthermore, there is necessary to take into account trans women’s behaviours in using hormone therapy upon developing a comprehensive healthcare system for them.