Quality of Life among Transgender Individuals in Selected Districts, Kerala

Abstract

Transgender individuals, sometimes referred to as Trans individuals or Trans people, are people whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. The present study aimed to assess the quality of life (QOL) of transgender individuals in selected districts of Kerala and to examine its association with selected baseline and clinical variables. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among 65 transgender individuals in selected centers in the Thrissur and Palakkad districts using purposive sampling and face-to-face interviews. Baseline and clinical variables were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, and the WHOQOL-BREF scale was used to assess quality of life. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Student’s t-test were used for data analysis. Results: The mean QOL scores for the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were 31.7 ± 6.1, 37.8 ± 9.6, 74.7 ± 21.9, and 29.1 ± 6.1, respectively. The total mean QOL score was 226.3 ± 42.9. The social relationships domain had the highest score, while environmental health was the most affected domain. Based on QOL classification, 37 (56.9%) participants had an average quality of life, 19 (29.2%) had good QOL, 8 (12.4%) had poor QOL, and 1 (1.5%) had very poor QOL. Statistically significant associations were found between QOL and religion (p = 0.037), sex reassignment surgery (p = 0.014), and financial support (p = 0.005). Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for tailored interventions and support services to address domain-specific factors influencing the quality of life of transgender individuals.