Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42040262›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in health services2026

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare providers toward gender dysphoria in Saudi Arabia.

Waled M Albalawi, Mohammed A Alhassan, Muhammad H Aldossary, Jamal Alothaim, Abdulaziz S Albalawi, Khalil A Alghalayini, Majed B Abaalkhail, Samah H Alkhawashki

Abstract read
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Article in Frontiers in health services, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Waled M AlbalawiKing Salman Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed A AlhassanDivision of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Specialties, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.
Muhammad H AldossaryEradah and Mental Health Complex, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Jamal AlothaimDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz S AlbalawiDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khalil A AlghalayiniDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Majed B AbaalkhailEradah Mental Health Complex, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Samah H AlkhawashkiDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Gender dysphoria (GD) involves a marked incongruence between an individual's experienced gender and their sex assigned at birth. Individuals with GD often experience a strong desire to be treated as another gender and frequently face significant health disparities, including limited access to care, higher risks of depression, and suicide. These challenges are often exacerbated by healthcare providers' knowledge gaps and discriminatory attitudes. This study's objective is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia regarding GD and to identify gaps that could inform targeted educational interventions. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia (Nov 2024-Jun 2025). A total of 156 responses were gathered. The questionnaire included domains of knowledge (9 items), attitude (11 items), and practice (4 items) on a 7-point Likert scale. Missing responses, including "I don't know," were imputed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant responses. Associations among knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were examined using Spearman's rank-order correlation, with additional subgroup analyses conducted to explore variations by demographic characteristics. Results: Participants demonstrated moderate to strong knowledge and generally positive attitudes toward individuals with GD, particularly regarding pronoun use, mental health assessment, and awareness of health disparities. However, practical engagement was limited, with only 19% reporting direct clinical experience and a few having received GD-related training. Scores varied by age, training level, and specialty, as respondents aged 24-39 years showed the strongest knowledge and attitude scores, and practice scores were highest among those aged 40-49 years, while senior registrars demonstrated the highest overall KAP scores, and psychiatry showed the strongest overall specialty profile. Conclusion: Healthcare providers demonstrate foundational knowledge and supportive attitudes but limited practical experience in managing GD. Targeted training and structured clinical exposure are recommended to improve culturally competent and inclusive care.

Indexed as

attitudes, and practicescultural perceptionsgender dysphoriahealthcare providersknowledgemedical educationpracticesSaudi Arabiatransgender health

Identifiers

PMID42040262
PMCPMC13106186

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.