Notes:
This research study set out to measure the total number and cost of SRS on US residents.
Surveys were sent to every surgeon and clinic belonging to the HBIGDA professional society.
The surveys asked each surgeon and clinic to tell us, separately for MTF and FTM, how many surgeries they did in the calendar year 2001, what the total cost to the patient was, and the percent of patients who were US residents.
To ensure that each person having SRS was counted exactly once, the survey measured only 'primary surgeries.' that is, penectomy for MTF and mastectomy for FTM.
The survey also asked for data about FTM bottom surgery: number of procedures, cost, % US residents.
Of the 55 surveys, 15 went to surgeons who, by reputation, are known to be someone who most US residents to go for their surgery.
(Transsexuals want their surgery to be done by an experienced surgeon, one whom many others have recommended.)
These 15 are called 'major surgeons' in this study.
Of the 14 surveys that were completed and returned, 12 came from major surgeons.
This means that, while the overall response rate was 25%, the response rate from major surgeons was 80%.
Data for the other 3 major surgeons, and for the other surgeons and clinics who did not respond, were estimated by interpolation, by interviewing subject matter experts, and by interviewing their patients.
All individual responses are confidential.
Therapy, Hormones, and Doctors visits have known standard costs, which can be used in combination with surgical counts and ratio estimates to arrive at overall costs.