PARLONS-MAAT : Longitudinal cohort study

PARLONS-MAAT (the PARticipatory LONgitudinal Study using Mixed methods to Advance Affirming care for Transgender and gender-diverse youth) is the flagship project of the Plurealités laboratory. This study collects a wealth of biopsychosocial data on the effects of gender identity-related care among youth receiving services at the CHU Ste-Justine's Gender Diversity Clinic.

By providing insights into the short-, medium- and long-term outcomes of this care, PARLONS-MAAT will help improve clinical approaches and services offered to trans and gender diverse youth throughout Quebec and around the world.

Project funding: Foundation for pediatric research (2024 - 2027).

Qualitative interviews on access to gender identity-related care

We conducted individual interviews to gain a better understanding of the need to improve access to pediatric gender identity-related care in Quebec.

We met with 1) youth who had received gender identity-related care before age 18; 2) caregivers who supported them throughout their care; and 3) healthcare professionals who provide pediatric gender identity-related care (e.g. doctors, pharmacists, psychologists, psychoeducators, etc.).

Project funding: ODISÉ Network / Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé (2025-2026)

Participatory Healthcare Research Summit

In June 2025, we held the very first Participatory Healthcare Research Summit on pediatric gender identity-related care in Quebec, bringing together 30 key stakeholders (researchers, healthcare professionals, decision-makers, patients, caregivers and community organizations) from across the province. This event helped break down silos by working together towards shared priorities for pediatric gender identity-related research and care.

Project funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Planning & Dissemination Grant (2025-2027)

Transition of gender identity-related care from pediatric to adult settings

This multicentric project, conducted in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the CHU Ste-Justine, aims to identify the needs, concerns and challenges associated with the transition of pediatric gender identity-related care to adult settings. To this end, the project is composed of focus groups and transition readiness questionnaires. This project is being led by Dr. Gabrielle Doré-Brabant as part of her fellowship in pediatric gender diversity.

Recruitment is currently underway at the CHU Ste-Justine. The CHEO component has been completed.

Project funding: Canadian Pediatric Endocrinology Group (CPEG) Awareness Grant (2024)

Counselling on hysterectomy procedures as a form of gender-affirming care

This project is based on individual interviews designed to explore the experiences of trans and non-binary people regarding counselling for hysterectomy as a form of gender-affirming care.

The project aims to identify the needs, priorities and ethical issues related to decision-making, discussions about fertility and interactions with surgeons.

The findings will help improve clinical practice by promoting more affirmative, tailored and equitable approaches.