Background: Beginning in July 2016, transgender service members in the US military were allowed to receive gender-affirming medical care, if so desired.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate variation in time-to-hormone therapy initiation in active duty Service members after the receipt of a diagnosis indicative of gender dysphoria in the Military Health System.
Research Design: This retrospective cohort study included data from those enrolled in TRICARE Prime between July 2016 and December 2021 and extracted from the Military Health System Data Repository.
Participants: A population-based sample of US Service members who had an encounter with a relevant International Classification of Diseases 9/10 diagnosis code.
Measures: Time-to-gender-affirming hormone initiation after diagnosis receipt.
Results: A total of 2439 Service members were included (M age 24 y; 62% white, 16% Black; 12% Latine; 65% Junior Enlisted; 37% Army, 29% Navy, 25% Air Force, 7% Marine Corps; 46% first recorded administrative assigned gender marker female). Overall, 41% and 52% initiated gender-affirming hormone therapy within 1 and 3 years of diagnosis, respectively. In the generalized additive model, time-to-gender-affirming hormone initiation was longer for Service members with a first administrative assigned gender marker of male relative to female ( P <0.001), and Asian and Pacific Islander ( P =0.02) and Black ( P =0.047) relative to white Service members. In time-varying interactions, junior enlisted members had longer time-to-initiation, relative to senior enlisted members and junior officers, until about 2-years postinitial diagnosis.
Conclusion: The significant variation and documented inequities indicate that institutional data-driven policy modifications are needed to ensure timely access for those desiring care.
Competing Interests: C.R. has previously received funding from Organon for contraception research (Organon investigator initiated grant program). She is no longer funded by Organon. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.
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