Trans and nonbinary health
CURRENT RESEARCH STUDIES
Project AFFIRM
Principal Investigator: Walter Bockting, PhD
Project AFFIRM is a study that aims to learn more about the identity development and health of people who identify as trans or nonbinary. Our goal is to learn more about the development of gender identity across the lifespan in order to foster resilience and reduce stigma and discrimination among members of the trans and nonbinary community. Currently, we are examining the relationship between minority stress, resilience, mental health, and risk for cardiovascular disease in diverse U.S. gender minority populations.
Let’s Be
Principal Investigator: Jae Sevelius, PhD
Let’s Be is a HIV status-neutral, randomized controlled trial of a group- and individual-level intervention designed to impact HIV prevention and continua outcomes with trans women of color. The peer-delivered group intervention component, Sheroes, and the peer navigation component, Healthy Divas, have demonstrated acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy in previous research with trans women. Let’s Be combines the strengths of both to address the multi-level nature of the HIV prevention and care continnum within this community. Let’s Be is conducted in Detroit, MI in collaboration with the Love Her Collective at our partner site Corktown Health Center and in NYC, NY at our partner site, Callen Lorde. This study is co-led by our research team here at the U-M School of Public Health and at New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University Research Foundation for Mental Health.
The GAP Study
Principal Investigator: Walter Bockting, PhD, and Miriam Ryvicker, PhD
This is a mixed-method, longitudinal cohort study that examines changes in psychosocial adjustment and health-related quality of life after gender-affirming surgery, informing the development of future home- and community-based healthcare interventions to promote their health and wellbeing. This project is in collaboration with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
Project TIES
Principal Investigator: Walter Bockting, PhD
This study examines the social relations of gender minority people of color (GM POC) living in New York City and New Orleans and identifies targets for future interventions to enhance their social connectedness, health and wellbeing. Guided by the Convoy Model of Social Relations, the study aims to: (1) examine the social relations and connectedness of GM POC age 18-69 through in-depth, qualitative interviews; (2) adapt the established structured Social Convoy Interview protocol to quantitatively assess the contemporary social networks and support of GM POC adults through a series of cognitive interviews; and (3) identify strengths and weaknesses in social connectedness that moderate the association between minority stress and outcomes of mental health and aging among a community sample of GM POC.