The University of California, San Francisco has launched PRIDEnet and The PRIDE Study in order to create and engage a network of LGBTQ community members participating in medical research about sexual and gender minorities. Our collaboration will provide the Texas Transgender Health Program and the broader LGBTQ community an opportunity to participate directly in research and network with other communities engaged in similar work.

“Partnering with PrideNet will give us more access to research regarding the broader LGBTQ community and our health needs. I’m looking forward to learning from others across the country and see what we can bring to Texas,” said Lou Weaver, Transgender Programs Coordinator for Equality Texas and Texas Transgender Health Program co-director.

The National Academy of Medicine and the Association of American Medical Colleges recommend better educating providers on how to competently care for transgender patients. Their recommendations include collecting gender identity information in electronic medical records and conducting more research around transgender health.

“The PRIDE Study is the first national, large-scale, long-term health study of LGBTQ people in the USA,” noted John Oeffinger, co-director of the Texas Transgender Health Program and Texas Health Institute Director for eLearning and training. “The Study provides new opportunities for health providers and policy-makers to better understand the LGBTQ community. Understanding the unique health care disparities, strengths, and resiliences of our LGBTQ communities improves the health of the entire community.”

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The Equality Texas Foundation works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through education, community organizing, and collaboration.

Texas Health Institute (THI) translates emerging research on population and preventative health into practical applications for communities. THI’s programs and education offerings accelerate the implementation of new findings, creating opportunities for people to lead a healthy life.