Table 3 Reasons for taking more or less hormones than prescribed.
From: Gender affirming hormone therapy dosing behaviors among transgender and nonbinary adults
na | % | |
|---|---|---|
Reasons for taking more hormones (n = 90) | ||
Believe that it is not the right prescribed dose | 33 | 36.7% |
Hormones make me feel good | 32 | 35.6% |
To speed up transition/gender-affirmation process | 24 | 26.7% |
To make up for missed dosesb | 15 | 16.7% |
Provider mistrust | 10 | 11.1% |
Suggested by friends | 4 | 4.4% |
Reproductive health concerns (menstruation, cramping)b | 4 | 4.4% |
Imprecise practice of dose administration (sometimes it leaks out of the syringe, sometimes hard to tell where the specific line is)b | 2 | 2.2% |
Reasons for taking less hormones (n = 215) | ||
Forgot to take it | 150 | 69.8% |
Forgot to pick up hormone prescription | 59 | 27.4% |
Hormone cost | 38 | 17.7% |
Travel barrier to get prescription | 28 | 13.0% |
Syringe concerns (e.g., phobia, pain, anxiety)b | 20 | 9.3% |
Health insurance issues (e.g., lack of, delay in approval, changes in in-network provider) | 16 | 7.4% |
Believe that it is not the right prescribed dose | 11 | 5.1% |
Unsure about taking hormones | 10 | 4.7% |
Worried about weight gain | 9 | 4.2% |
Pharmacy issues (e.g., delays/risk of unavailability leads to rationing doses, stigma by pharmacists, refill difficulty)b | 8 | 3.7% |
Provider mistrust | 5 | 2.3% |
Worried about negative side effects with other medicines | 4 | 1.9% |
Hormones make me feel sick | 3 | 1.4% |
Other physical health concerns (e.g., hair loss, acne issues)b | 3 | 1.4% |
It’s not always available through friends/online | 1 | 0.5% |
Adviced by provider not to take it | 1 | 0.5% |
Reliance on others to administer itb | 1 | 0.5% |
