INTRODUCTION
You are invited to participate in this research study called Measuring TAPE: Trans-Affirming Providers’ Experiences. You may qualify to take part in this research study if you:
- are over 18 years old;
- are a provider or clinician practicing gender-affirming / transition-related care;
- practice in the U.S. currently or have practiced in the U.S. within the past 4 years;
- have provided gender-affirming / transition-related care to at least one patient in the last 4 years.
This survey will take approximately 30 minutes of your time to complete.
WHY IS THIS STUDY BEING DONE?
Over the last 10 years, there has been a significant increase in legislation which limits or criminalizes gender-affirming / transition-related care (GATRC) for transgender and gender diverse individuals in the U.S. The present study seeks to assess the personal and professional impact of such legislation on providers of GATRC.
WHAT WILL I BE ASKED TO DO IF I AGREE TO TAKE PART IN THIS STUDY?
If you decide to participate, you will answer a series of questions regarding your demographics, your well-being as a provider of GATRC, and any consequences you have experienced as a result of anti-trans legislation. You will complete these questions in an online survey that can be accessed from a phone or computer at any time. We anticipate the entire set of questions will approximately 30 minutes to complete. You are welcome to skip any questions you do not wish to answer.
WHAT POSSIBLE RISKS OR DISCOMFORTS CAN I EXPECT FROM TAKING PART IN THIS STUDY?
This is a minimal risk study, which means the harms or discomforts that you may experience are no greater than you would ordinarily encounter in daily life such as social or workplace interactions. However, there are some risks to consider.
You may feel discomfort or distress when thinking about past experiences as a provider of GATRC. However, you can end your participation at any time; simply close the survey window. Your participation is entirely voluntary and there is no penalty if you choose to withdraw. There are resources available at the bottom of this consent form and at the end of the study if you begin to experience distress due to your participation.
Given the current legislative climate, you may have concerns about your identity being linked to the gender affirming care that you provide. Your responses are collected anonymously, however some metadata, such as your IP address, may be collected by Jotform. This information will not be used for the purpose of the study, and all reported data will be de-identified.]
WHAT POSSIBLE BENEFITS CAN I EXPECT FROM TAKING PART IN THIS STUDY?
There are no direct benefits associated with participating in this study. Indirect benefits include contributing to research on the well-being of providers who work in the field of GATRC. This research seeks to raise awareness about the experiences of providers like yourself to inform policy and organizational practices that will protect and support providers of GATRC.
WILL I BE PAID FOR BEING IN THIS STUDY?
There is no compensation for participating in this study.
WHEN IS THE STUDY OVER? CAN I LEAVE THE STUDY BEFORE IT ENDS?
The study is over when you have completed the survey. However, you can leave the study at any time, even if you have not finished. If you choose to leave before submitting the study, we will not use your partial responses.
PROTECTION OF YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY
All responses will be collected electronically via a Jotform survey. Responses will be stored in a password protected, HIPAA-compliant Jotform account owned by the Ackerman Institute for the Family’s Gender and Family Project. The survey is completely anonymous; we will not ask for your name or your place of employment.
To further protect your confidentiality, study data will primarily be reported in aggregate (e.g., 70% of providers have experienced harassment), which means your individual responses will not be published or shared outside of the research team. However, if you consent to the use of direct quotes from your survey, we will publish those quotes anonymously and separately from your other data. For instance, we may share direct quotes from LGBTQIA-identified providers or providers who work with youth, but your quote will not be published alongside your individual responses.
For quality assurance, the study team and/or members of the Ackerman Institute for the Family’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) may review the data collected from you as part of this study. Otherwise, all information obtained from your participation in this study will be held strictly confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by U.S. or State law.
HOW WILL THE RESULTS BE USED?
Results may be published in academic journals, organizational reports, or in other formats (e.g., fact sheets, infographics) to be shared with relevant communities and decision makers. Such publications will be used to advocate for the well-being of providers of GATRC and their patients.
WHO CAN ANSWER MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS STUDY?
If you have questions about taking part in this research study, contact the Primary Researcher, Nat Roberts, M.A. at nroberts@ackerman.org. If you have any questions about this consent form or the study, you are encouraged to reach out to us today and complete the survey at a later time when your questions have been answered.
If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research subject, you should contact the Chair of the Ackerman Institute for the Family’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), Martha Edwards at medwards@ackerman.org. The IRB is the committee that oversees human research protection for the Ackerman Institute for the Family.