Left Behind at the Margins: Advancing Trans-Inclusive Universal Health Coverage in Ireland

Descrizione del progetto

Dall’esclusione all’equità nell’assistenza sanitaria irlandese

Nonostante l’assistenza sanitaria sia un diritto umano, le persone transgender e con diversità di genere (TDG) in Irlanda devono affrontare ostacoli significativi, tra cui lo stigma e le lunghe liste d’attesa. Con il sostegno del programma Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, il progetto TransHealth studierà come il sistema sanitario irlandese includa o escluda gli individui TDG. Combinando sondaggi e interviste con persone TDG in cinque città e analizzando le politiche governative, il progetto si propone di identificare gli ostacoli specifici all’assistenza. Lavorando direttamente con le organizzazioni e i responsabili politici TGD, co-produrrà raccomandazioni pratiche per migliorare i servizi. In definitiva, l’obiettivo è ridurre i bisogni sanitari insoddisfatti e fornire strumenti politici attuabili per garantire che il sistema sanitario irlandese sia davvero universale, inclusivo e allineato agli standard internazionali di uguaglianza.

Obiettivo

This fellowship investigates how Ireland’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system includes—or excludes—transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people, and identifies policy levers for change. Despite UHC being a recognised health right, TGD populations remain disproportionately excluded due to stigma, fragmented services, and intersecting vulnerabilities. In Ireland, gender-affirming care is centralised, waitlists are long, and commitments under UHC remain misaligned with lived realities.
The study applies a mixed-methods, intersectional case study across five hubs (Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford). SO1 foregrounds TGD experiences through 30 semi-structured interviews and a descriptive online survey (n 75). SO2 uses Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) of Sláintecare/HSE/EU instruments (2017–2025) and ~10 policymaker interviews, triangulating with SO1 to map barriers and enablers. SO3 convenes a participatory workshop with TGD organisations, providers, policymakers, and academics to co-produce feasible recommendations.
Expected outputs include a UHC-aligned gap analysis, joint displays linking lived experience to policy, a validated Policy Recommendations Guideline, two open-access articles, a policy brief, a closing roundtable, and public-facing outputs (webpage, briefs, webinars, media). Impact spans science (transferable UHC/TGD methods), policy (Sláintecare-ready levers), society (reduced unmet need), and economy (resource optimisation).
Hosted at UCD’s School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems under Dr John Gilmore, the fellowship combines methodological rigour, Open Science, GDPR-compliant data management, and co-production. It contributes to the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, the European Pillar of Social Rights, and SDG 3.8 while equipping the researcher with Horizon Europe–ready skills and strengthening career prospects across academia, health systems, and policy.