{"id":{"repo_id":"uwo","oai_identifier":"oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/37062"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uwo/oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/37062","repository":{"repo_id":"uwo","name":"Western University","base_url":"https://uwo.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Exploring the experience of sexuality and gender during the healthcare transition of the youth with Cerebral Palsy","abstract":"Background: Transition from the pediatric to adult health care system is an important phase of healthcare for youth with cerebral palsy (CP). Sexuality and gender are two very important components of health that are mostly ignored in the healthcare transition process. It is possible that health care providers only see a client’s disability, and therefore, key aspects of sexuality and gender diversity may be ignored, or deemed irrelevant as a result of their disability status. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to explore how gender and sexuality may influence the experience of health care transition for youth with cerebral palsy. Method: This is a qualitative study guided by van Manen’s phenomenology of practice (van Manen, 2014). van Manen's phenomenological approach is a form of qualitative study approach which is grounded in life experiences and gives attention to the day-to-day life and it is very well suited for studying health care realities. The study population was youth with CP and Health care providers who are directly connected with the health care transitioning experience of the youth with CP. Results: Six main themes emerged from the participants narratives; 1) current state of gender identity and sexuality in CP, 2) knowledge and curiosity about gender identity & sexuality among youth with CP, 3) challenges with sexuality and gender identity, 4) societal influence and pressure, 5) sexual health support during healthcare transition, and 6) opportunities for change. Implication for practice: The findings suggest that incorporating conversations about sexuality and gender identity during health care transition is important because there is curiosity and lack of knowledge about sexuality and gender identity among youth with CP. It also suggests that increased training and education for health care providers will encourage these discussions and increase support to youth with CP.","abstract_html":"Background: Transition from the pediatric to adult health care system is an important phase of healthcare for youth with cerebral palsy (CP). Sexuality and gender are two very important components of health that are mostly ignored in the healthcare transition process. It is possible that health care providers only see a client’s disability, and therefore, key aspects of sexuality and gender diversity may be ignored, or deemed irrelevant as a result of their disability status. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to explore how gender and sexuality may influence the experience of health care transition for youth with cerebral palsy. Method: This is a qualitative study guided by van Manen’s phenomenology of practice (van Manen, 2014). van Manen's phenomenological approach is a form of qualitative study approach which is grounded in life experiences and gives attention to the day-to-day life and it is very well suited for studying health care realities. The study population was youth with CP and Health care providers who are directly connected with the health care transitioning experience of the youth with CP. Results: Six main themes emerged from the participants narratives; 1) current state of gender identity and sexuality in CP, 2) knowledge and curiosity about gender identity & sexuality among youth with CP, 3) challenges with sexuality and gender identity, 4) societal influence and pressure, 5) sexual health support during healthcare transition, and 6) opportunities for change. Implication for practice: The findings suggest that incorporating conversations about sexuality and gender identity during health care transition is important because there is curiosity and lack of knowledge about sexuality and gender identity among youth with CP. It also suggests that increased training and education for health care providers will encourage these discussions and increase support to youth with CP.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Salma, Umma"],"institution":"The University of Western Ontario","degree_name":"M Sc","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Health and Rehabilitation Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Brunton, Laura K."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-08-23","date_published":"2023-08-23","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:09Z","subjects":["Cerebral Palsy","Healthcare transition","Healthcare provider","Sexuality","Gender identity","Intersectionality","Sexual health","Sexuality education"],"languages":["en_ca"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/37062","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Brunton, Laura K."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Salma, Umma"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-07-10T21:29:27Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-07-10T21:29:27Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2023-08-23"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Health and Rehabilitation Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M Sc"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Cerebral Palsy","Healthcare transition","Healthcare provider","Sexuality","Gender identity","Intersectionality","Sexual health","Sexuality education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_ca"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/37062"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["The thesis cover page in the PDF document includes references to Western University’s previous institutional repository platform, known as Scholarship@Western, and links to that platform (beginning with ir.lib.uwo.ca). In citing or referring to this thesis, use the DOI or handle from this page instead. Sample citation: Author name, \"Thesis title.\" (Year). Western University Open Repository. https://doi.org/10.71858/123456."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: Transition from the pediatric to adult health care system is an important phase of healthcare for youth with cerebral palsy (CP). Sexuality and gender are two very important components of health that are mostly ignored in the healthcare transition process. It is possible that health care providers only see a client’s disability, and therefore, key aspects of sexuality and gender diversity may be ignored, or deemed irrelevant as a result of their disability status. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to explore how gender and sexuality may influence the experience of health care transition for youth with cerebral palsy. Method: This is a qualitative study guided by van Manen’s phenomenology of practice (van Manen, 2014). van Manen's phenomenological approach is a form of qualitative study approach which is grounded in life experiences and gives attention to the day-to-day life and it is very well suited for studying health care realities. The study population was youth with CP and Health care providers who are directly connected with the health care transitioning experience of the youth with CP. Results: Six main themes emerged from the participants narratives; 1) current state of gender identity and sexuality in CP, 2) knowledge and curiosity about gender identity & sexuality among youth with CP, 3) challenges with sexuality and gender identity, 4) societal influence and pressure, 5) sexual health support during healthcare transition, and 6) opportunities for change. Implication for practice: The findings suggest that incorporating conversations about sexuality and gender identity during health care transition is important because there is curiosity and lack of knowledge about sexuality and gender identity among youth with CP. It also suggests that increased training and education for health care providers will encourage these discussions and increase support to youth with CP."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Exploring the experience of sexuality and gender during the healthcare transition of the youth with Cerebral Palsy"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Brunton, Laura K."],"dc:creator":["Salma, Umma"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-07-10T21:29:27Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-07-10T21:29:27Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2023-08-23"],"dc:description":["The thesis cover page in the PDF document includes references to Western University’s previous institutional repository platform, known as Scholarship@Western, and links to that platform (beginning with ir.lib.uwo.ca). In citing or referring to this thesis, use the DOI or handle from this page instead. Sample citation: Author name, \"Thesis title.\" (Year). Western University Open Repository. https://doi.org/10.71858/123456."],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: Transition from the pediatric to adult health care system is an important phase of healthcare for youth with cerebral palsy (CP). Sexuality and gender are two very important components of health that are mostly ignored in the healthcare transition process. It is possible that health care providers only see a client’s disability, and therefore, key aspects of sexuality and gender diversity may be ignored, or deemed irrelevant as a result of their disability status. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to explore how gender and sexuality may influence the experience of health care transition for youth with cerebral palsy. Method: This is a qualitative study guided by van Manen’s phenomenology of practice (van Manen, 2014). van Manen's phenomenological approach is a form of qualitative study approach which is grounded in life experiences and gives attention to the day-to-day life and it is very well suited for studying health care realities. The study population was youth with CP and Health care providers who are directly connected with the health care transitioning experience of the youth with CP. Results: Six main themes emerged from the participants narratives; 1) current state of gender identity and sexuality in CP, 2) knowledge and curiosity about gender identity & sexuality among youth with CP, 3) challenges with sexuality and gender identity, 4) societal influence and pressure, 5) sexual health support during healthcare transition, and 6) opportunities for change. Implication for practice: The findings suggest that incorporating conversations about sexuality and gender identity during health care transition is important because there is curiosity and lack of knowledge about sexuality and gender identity among youth with CP. It also suggests that increased training and education for health care providers will encourage these discussions and increase support to youth with CP."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/37062"],"dc:language.iso":["en_ca"],"dc:publisher":["The University of Western Ontario"],"dc:subject":["Cerebral Palsy","Healthcare transition","Healthcare provider","Sexuality","Gender identity","Intersectionality","Sexual health","Sexuality education"],"dc:title":["Exploring the experience of sexuality and gender during the healthcare transition of the youth with Cerebral Palsy"],"dc:type":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Health and Rehabilitation Sciences"],"thesis:degree_name":["M Sc"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:09Z"}