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Objective

Transgender young adults in the Netherlands often experience healthcare as fragmented, inaccessible, and poorly matched to their medical and psychosocial needs. Many healthcare professionals report uncertainty due to limited experience with gender diversity. How do transgender young adults perceive current transgender healthcare, and what improvements do they consider necessary?

Method

Using a Community-Led Research and Action (CLRA) approach, five transgender young adults conducted peer interviews and co-analyzed findings, supported by researchers in the social sciences. In total, 20 transgender young adults participated.

Results

Participants described the healthcare system as a ‘minefield’, calling for improved medical knowledge on transgender issues, continuity of care, integration of lived experience, active involvement in healthcare policy and psychological support.

Conclusion

Transgender young adults need accessible, relational, and knowledgeable care. For general practitioners and specialists, this implies investing in training, collaborating with lived-experience experts, and creating inclusive care environments where young adults feel safe and heard.

Conflict of interest and financial support: ICMJE forms provided by the authors are available online along with the full text of this article.