1. HEALTH OUTCOMES IN TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES: RESULTS FROM THE 2015 U. S
HEALTH OUTCOMES IN TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES: RESULTS FROM THE 2015 U.S. TRANSGENDER SURVEY
Sandy E. James, Survey Project Manager, NCTE
February 17, 2017

2. USTS Project Overview
U.S. Trans Survey (USTS) conducted in the summer of 2015
Follow up to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS). NTDS had over 6,400 respondents
Wide range of topics in USTS:
Health, education, employment, family life, housing, identity documents, harassment and violence, police interactions, and more

3. USTS Project Overview 27,715 respondents
50 states, DC, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico,
and U.S. military bases overseas
Adults 18+
English and Spanish, online
1/3 non-binary

4. Results

5. Pervasive Mistreatment & Violence
Because they were transgender ...
46% verbally harassed in past year
9% physically attacked in past year
Sexually assaulted:
10% past year and 47% in lifetime

6. 3X higher unemployment than U.S. population
Severe Economic Hardship & Instability
3X higher unemployment than U.S. population
15% versus 5%
2X higher poverty than U.S. population
29% versus 14%

7. Severe Economic Hardship & Instability
Homelessness
12% homeless in the past year
30% homeless in lifetime

8. 1.4% of all respondents were living with HIV—
Compounding Impact of Other
Forms of Discrimination
Among people of color,
poverty was 3X higher than the U.S. population
1.4% of all respondents were living with HIV—
5X higher than the U.S. population
Among Black trans women, the rate was 19%

9. Compounding Impact of Other Forms of Discrimination
People with disabilities
24% unemployed
45% living in poverty
Undocumented
50% experienced homelessness
24% physically attacked in the past year

10. Key Health Findings

11. 8X serious psychological distress than U.S. population
Harmful Effects On Physical & Mental Health
8X serious psychological distress than U.S. population
39% versus 5%
9X attempted suicide in lifetime than U.S. population
40% versus 4.6%
“Serious psychological distress” measure is based on the Kessler 6 scale, which is a widely used tool for assessing mental health outcomes. It involves a battery of questions about feelings of distress and how those feelings impact one’s life.

12. 25% had trans-related health insurance problem
Health Insurance and Health Care
In the past year:
25% had trans-related health insurance problem
23% didn’t seek health care for fear of being mistreated
33% didn’t seek health care because they could not afford it

13. 33% had at least one trans-related negative experience
Health Care
Of those who saw a health care provider in the past year:
33% had at least one trans-related negative experience

14. 1.4% of all respondents were living with HIV—
5X higher than the U.S. population (0.3%)
Among Black trans women, the rate was 19%
Among American Indian trans women, the rate was 4.6%
Among trans Latinas, the rate was 4.4%

15. Substance Use
3X illicit drug, marijuana, and/or nonmedical prescription drug use in the past month than U.S. population
29% versus 10%

16. USTransSurvey.org