The comparative investigation of referral process of cases requesting Sex Reassignment Surgery in Tehran legal medicine center, according to the international standards

The purpose of this study is to investigate the referral process of cases requesting Sex Reassignment Surgery in Tehran legal medicine center according to the international standards. This study has been performed as a research during one year. Within a descriptive cross sectional study, 129 files which all of them have been given surgery permission, have been studied in Tehran legal medicine center since 2004 until 2008. A checklist of criteria was made by researchers according to DSM-IV-TR criteria and Harry Benjamin international gender dysphoria association (HBIGDI) for evaluation of research variables. The ethical permission was given to the researchers by LMO. In this case 52. 7٪ of files have been female that this rate is not similar to other international research fingings. Regarding to the main research variables (diagnostic situation, psychological intervention, real life opposite sex role, hormonal tests), descriptive results show that only 27. 13 ٪ of cases are in agreement with the standards and hypothesis of this study. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study based on all cases of non-complinace with the international standards were confirmed (P<0. 01). Regarding to low level compliance of patients’ therapies process with international standards and lack of sufficient real life in opposite sex role, it is necessary to attend to all of therapeutically process. Most of these real life problems are related to cultural situations in social acceptance of GID cases and need more suitable ground for enhancing.