The survey, called Counting Ourselves, aims to understand the experiences of the transgender and non-binary community when they engage with healthcare services.
University of Waikato Transgender Health Lab community outreach facilitator Cassie Withey-Rila is a health science researcher who also works for the University of Otago.
Counting Ourselves was run by and for transgender and non-binary people, and the aim was to gather information from people aged 14 years and older all across the country, not just in Auckland or Wellington, they said.
Being able to see what people’s experiences were like in Dunedin and across Otago was important.
"Because they are going to have different experiences with healthcare systems, and just existing in the world."
"I grew up as a young trans and non-binary person in rural Texas and so it is really important to me that rural communities and less urban communities are reached with this, because I know we exist."
The outcome of the research would help provide data on health outcomes and resource allocation for trans and non-binary people.
The survey is a follow-up to a survey conducted in 2018, which was the first time this type of information had been collected in New Zealand.
"We got a lot of really amazing data out of it."
"It really showed that there is a lot of health disparities between transgender/non-binary communities and cisgender communities."
- An Otepoti Counting Ourselves survey promotion party will take place from 1pm-3pm at the Dunningham Suite, Dunedin City Library this Sunday.
Trans and non-binary people and whanau are invited to gather for kai and to meet some of the members of the survey team.
Visit countingourselves.nz to take the survey or email kiaora@countingourselves.nz for more information.
