Trans Youth in Translation: Arts-based Knowledge Translation for Health Professions Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/jah.v12i02.2334Keywords:
transgender, youth, arts-based methods, knowledge translation, educationAbstract
Transgender (trans) youth experience health disparities and challenges accessing healthcare. While there is a growing body of literature addressing the needs of this population, trans youth voices are often absent from discourses upon which health care systems intended to support them are built. The Trans Youth in Translation project sought to increase representation of trans youth through an arts-based knowledge translation project translating research findings about healthcare experiences into creative works for use in health professions education. This approach is grounded in established theoretical approaches to gender affirming care, knowledge translation, and health promotion. Thirty trans youth engaged with researchers and adult trans artist mentors in a series of knowledge translation workshops. Drawing on their own lived/living experiences, the youth artists interpreted trans youth research participant quotes through visual art, creative writing, dramatic scene-writing, songwriting, and board game design. The creative works produced were shared at knowledge exchange events with healthcare professionals, including clinicians, policy makers, and researchers. These were later digitized for use in health care provider trainings. The aim of this paper is to describe the process undertaken, highlight creative works produced, and document program evaluation feedback from health professionals who engaged with the project.
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