Cited by 29Sexual Differentiation and DisordersLGBTQ Health, Identity, and PolicyEthics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare

The impact of culture on disclosure in differences of sex development

Weidler, Erica M., Peterson, Karen E.·2019·Seminars in Pediatric Surgery

Abstract

Differences of sex development (DSD) include a variety of complex congenital genitourinary abnormalities-whether sporadic or hereditary. The 2006 DSD Consensus Statement and 2016 Update Consensus Statement encourage better communication among providers, between providers and parents, as well as among providers, parents, and patients when developmentally appropriate.1,2 However, a lack of clear communication about the diagnosis and its sequelae may occur at three levels: (1) disclosure from DSD patients' families to their physician, (2) disclosure from patients to their families/communities, and (3) disclosure from the physician to the DSD patient. Additionally, there is a paucity of research available on how culture can impact disclosure among individuals with DSDs. This article discusses disclosure among the various stakeholders and briefly explores the impact of cultural expectations and beliefs with regards to disclosure.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.sempedsurg.2019.150840

Cites

2 of 2 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Delayed diagnosis, emotional, and gender assignment problems negatively influence quality of life.

    “Delayed diagnosis (557,734), emotional (731), and gender assignment problems (732,735) negatively influence quality of life (560,736).”

    From Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia—Current Insights in Pathophysiology, Diagnostics, and Management (2022) · cites this paper as [560]

    In HOW CULTURE CAN AFFECT DISCLOSURE (page unavailable), the paper says pressure to choose a gender can cause stress and that historical gender-assignment practices may be psychologically damaging. It also calls for attention to quality of life. It does not establish that delayed diagnosis, emotional problems, and gender-assignment problems each negatively affect quality of life. (LLM, conf=0.79)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Myths and misconceptions about ambiguous genitalia in certain communities may lead to discrimination against patients and families.

    “Myths and misconceptions about ambiguous genitalia in certain communities may lead to discrimination against patients and families (556,560).”
  • Pediatric endocrinologists are scarce, and late referral to specialized centers may delay diagnosis and treatment.

    “Pediatric endocrinologists are scarce (560,730,733), and late referral to specialized centers may delay diagnosis and treatment.”

    From Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia—Current Insights in Pathophysiology, Diagnostics, and Management (2022) · cites this paper as [560]

    The citation is attached to the claim that pediatric endocrinologists are scarce. The paper’s “Lack of Disclosure from Patient to Provider” section discusses the value of knowledgeable multidisciplinary providers, but does not address endocrinologist availability. Searches for scarcity and for delayed referral to specialized centers found no passage establishing either point. (LLM, conf=0.74)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 60

  1. [1]Lee PA, Houk CP, Ahmed SF, Hughes IA. Consensus statement on management of intersex disorders. International Consensus Conference on Intersex. Pediatrics. 2006; 118: e488– 500. 16882788
  2. [2]Lee PA, Nordenstrom A, Houk CP, Global Disorders of Sex Development Update since 2006: Perceptions, Approach and Care. Hormone research in paediatrics. 2016; 85: 158– 180. 26820577
  3. [3]Reis E Divergence or disorder?: the politics of naming intersex. Perspectives in biology and medicine. 2007; 50: 535– 543. 17951887
  4. [4]Davis G The power in a name: Diagnostic terminology and diverse experiences. Psychology & Sexuality. 2013; 5: 15– 27.
  5. [5]Johnson EK, Rosoklija I, Finlayson C, Attitudes towards “disorders of sex development” nomenclature among affected individuals. Journal of pediatric urology. 2017; 13: e601– 608. 28545802
  6. [6]Feder EK, Karkazis K. What’s in a name? The controversy over “disorders of sex development”. The Hastings Center report. 2008; 38: 33– 36. 18947138
  7. [7]Miller L, Leeth EA, Johnson EK, Attitudes toward ‘Disorders of Sex Development’ nomenclature among physicians, genetic counselors, and mental health clinicians. Journal of pediatric urology. 2018; 14: e411– 418. 30224300
  8. [8]DuBois JM, Iltis AS, DuBois SG. Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics. 2015; 5. 25772733
  9. [9]Austin J, Tamar-Mattis A, Mazur T, Henwood MJ, Rossi WC. Disorders of sex development-when and how to tell the patient. Pediatric endocrinology reviews: PER. 2011; 8: 213– 217; quiz 223. 21525798
  10. [10]Kemp BD. Sex, lies and androgen insensitivity syndrome. CMAJ. 1996; 154: 1829; author reply 1833. PMC1487754 8653636
  11. [11]Crissman HP, Warner L, Gardner M, Children with disorders of sex development: A qualitative study of early parental experience. International journal of pediatric endocrinology. 2011; 2011: 10. 21992519 PMC3223129
  12. [12]McCauley E Challenges in educating patients and parents about differences in sex development. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2017; 175: 293– 299. 28580604
  13. [13]Sandberg DE, Mazur T. A Noncategorical Approach to the Psychosocial Care of Persons with DSD and Their Families In: Kreukels BPC, Steensma TD, de Vries ALC, eds. Gender Dysphoria and Disorders of Sex Development: Progress in Care and Knowledge. Boston, MA: Springer US; 2014: 93– 114.
  14. [14]Lycett E, Daniels K, Curson R, Golombok S. School-aged children of donor insemination: a study of parents’ disclosure patterns. Human reproduction (Oxford, England). 2005; 20: 810– 819. 15677680
  15. [15]Turner AJ, Coyle A. What does it mean to be a donor offspring? The identity experiences of adults conceived by donor insemination and the implications for counselling and therapy. Human reproduction (Oxford, England). 2000; 15: 2041– 2051. 10967012
  16. [16]Clay DL. Culture and Diversity in Research and Practice In: Roberts MC, Steele RG, eds. Handbook of Pediatric Psychology. 5th ed. New York, NY: The Guilford Press; 2017: 81– 91.
  17. [17]Hakim-Larson J, Nassar-McMillan S. Middle Eastern Americans In: Associates GM, ed. Culturally Alert Counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc; 2008: 293– 322.
  18. [18]Singh Sandhu D, Madathil J. South Asian Americans In: Associates GM, ed. Culturally Alert Counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc; 2008: 353– 388.
  19. [19]Lescano CM, Rahill GJ. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities In: Roberts MC, Steele RG, eds. Handbook of Pediatric Psychology. 5th ed New York, NY: The Guilford Press; 2017: 499– 508.
  20. [20]Abadia-Barrero CE, Larusso MD. The disclosure model versus a developmental illness experience model for children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in Sao Paulo, Brazil. AIDS patient care and STDs. 2006; 20: 36– 43. 16426154
  21. [22]Vernon A Working with Children, Adolescents, and Their Parents: Practical Application of Developmental Theory In: Vernon A, ed. Counseling Children and Adolescents. 4th ed. Denver, CO: Love Publishing Company; 2009: 1– 35.
  22. [23]Corbie-Smith G, Thomas SB, Williams MV, Moody-Ayers S. Attitudes and beliefs of African Americans toward participation in medical research. J Gen Intern Med. 1999; 14: 537– 546. 10491242 PMC1496744
  23. [24]Corbie-Smith G, Thomas SB, St George DM. Distrust, race, and research. Arch Intern Med. 2002; 162: 2458– 2463. 12437405
  24. [25]Shavers VL, Lynch CF, Burmeister LF. Racial differences in factors that influence the willingness to participate in medical research studies. Ann Epidemiol. 2002; 12: 248– 256. 11988413
  25. [26]Lossie AC, Green J. Building Trust: The History and Ongoing Relationships Amongst DSD Clinicians, Researchers, and Patient Advocacy Groups. Hormone and metabolic research. 2015; 47: 344– 350. 25868122
  26. [27]Chaturvedi SK, Strohschein FJ, Saraf G, Loiselle CG. Communication in cancer care: psycho-social, interactional, and cultural issues. A general overview and the example of India. Front Psychol. 2014; 5: 1332. 25452741 PMC4233911
  27. [28]Siminoff LA, Graham GC, Gordon NH. Cancer communication patterns and the influence of patient characteristics: disparities in information-giving and affective behaviors. Patient Educ Couns. 2006; 62: 355– 360. 16860520
  28. [29]Stigma Parker R., prejudice and discrimination in global public health. Cad Saude Publica. 2012; 28: 164– 169. 22267076
  29. [30]Arrey AE, Bilsen J, Lacor P, Deschepper R. “It’s my secret”: fear of disclosure among sub-Saharan African migrant women living with HIV/AIDS in Belgium. PloS one. 2015; 10: e0119653. 25781906 PMC4362755
  30. [31]Ernst ME, Sandberg DE, Keegan C, Quint EH, Lossie AC, Yashar BM. The Lived Experience of MRKH: Sharing Health Information with Peers. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology. 2016; 29: 154– 158. 26453829
  31. [32]Rolston AM, Gardner M, Vilain E, Sandberg DE. Parental Reports of Stigma Associated with Child’s Disorder of Sex Development. Int J Endocrinol. 2015; 2015: 980121. 25918529 PMC4396550
  32. [33]Wisniewski AB, Sandberg DE. Parenting Children with Disorders of Sex Development (DSD): A Developmental Perspective Beyond Gender. Hormone and metabolic research. 2015; 47: 375– 379. 25654767
  33. [34]Wolfe-Christensen C, Fedele DA, Kirk K, Mullins LL, Lakshmanan Y, Wisniewski AB. Caregivers of children with a disorder of sex development: associations between parenting capacities and psychological distress. Journal of pediatric urology. 2014; 10: 538– 543. 24613141
  34. [36]Back MF, Huak CY. Family centred decision making and non-disclosure of diagnosis in a South East Asian oncology practice. Psychooncology. 2005; 14: 1052– 1059. 15834966
  35. [37]Mobeireek AF, Al-Kassimi F, Al-Zahrani K, Information disclosure and decision-making: the Middle East versus the Far East and the West. J Med Ethics. 2008; 34: 225– 229. 18375670
  36. [38]McAuliffe G What is culturally alert counseling? In: Associates GM, ed. Culturally Alert Counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc; 2008: 2– 44.
  37. [39]Raza J, Alam M. Analysis of Clinical Profile of Children with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. Journal of Surgery Pakistan. 2005; 10: 21– 23.
  38. [40]Khorashad BS, Aghili Z, Kreukels BPC, Mental Health and Disorders of Sex Development/Intersex Conditions in Iranian Culture: Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, 5-alpha Reductase Deficiency-Type 2, and Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome. Archives of sexual behavior. 2018; 47: 931– 942. 29294229
  39. [41]Gesink IF. Intersex bodies in premodern Islamic discourse: Complicating the binary. Journal of Middle East Women’s Studies. 2018; 14: 152– 173.
  40. [42]Walters KL. Urban lesbian and gay American Indian identity: Implications for mental health service delivery. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services. 1997; 6: 43– 65.
  41. [43]Walters KL, Simoni JM, Horwath PF. Sexual orientation bias experiences and service needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and two-spirited American Indians. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services. 2001; 13: 133– 149.
  42. [44]Williams WL. Spirit and the Flesh: Sexual Diversity in American Indian Culture. Boston: Beacon Press; 1992.
  43. [45]Imperato-McGinley J, Gautier T, Peterson RE, Shackleton C. The prevalence of 5 alpha-reductase deficiency in children with ambiguous genitalia in the Dominican Republic. The Journal of urology. 1986; 136: 867– 873. 3489839
  44. [47]Sandberg DE. Management of disorders of sex development: editorial commentary. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2012; 59: 871– 880. 22857834
  45. [48]Money J, Hampson JG, Hampson JL. Hermaphroditism: recommendations concerning assignment of sex, change of sex and psychologic management. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp. 1955; 97: 284– 300. 13260819
  46. [49]Money J, Hampson JG, Hampson JL. Imprinting and the establishment of gender role. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1957; 77: 333– 336. 13402268
  47. [50]Preves SE. For the sake of the children: destigmatizing intersexuality. The Journal of clinical ethics. 1998; 9: 411– 420. 10029842
  48. [51]Goodall J Helping a child to understand her own testicular feminisation. Lancet. 1991; 337: 33– 35. 1702173
  49. [52]Sexual health, human rights and the law. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2015: 1– 76.
  50. [53]UNFE Intersex Fact Sheet. In: Free and Equal UNF, ed: United Nations Human Rights Office, Office of the High Commissioner; 2015: 1– 2.
  51. [54]Providing ethical and compassionate health care to intersex patients: Intersex-affirming hospital policies Lambda Legal; 2018: 1– 28.
  52. [56]“I want to be like nature made me”: Medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children in the US. United States of America: Human Rights Watch; 2017: 1– 186.
  53. [58]Creighton S, Minto C. Managing intersex. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 2001; 323: 1264– 1265. PMC1121738 11731376
  54. [59]Creighton SM, Minto CL, Steele SJ. Objective cosmetic and anatomical outcomes at adolescence of feminising surgery for ambiguous genitalia done in childhood. Lancet. 2001; 358: 124– 125. 11463417
  55. [60]Minto CL, Liao LM, Woodhouse CR, Ransley PG, Creighton SM. The effect of clitoral surgery on sexual outcome in individuals who have intersex conditions with ambiguous genitalia: a cross-sectional study. Lancet. 2003; 361: 1252– 1257. 12699952
  56. [63]Heller T, Roccoforte JA, Hsieh K, Cook JA, Pickett SA. Benefits of support groups for families of adults with severe mental illness. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1997; 67: 187– 198. 9142352
  57. [64]Lieberman MA, Golant M, Altman T. Therapeutic Norms and Patient Benefit: Cancer Patients in Professionally Directed Support Groups. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice. 2004; 8: 265– 276.
  58. [65]Baratz AB, Sharp MK, Sandberg DE. Disorders of sex development peer support. Endocrine development. 2014; 27: 99– 112. 25247648
  59. [66]O’Malley AS, Carrier ER, Docteur E, Schmerling AC, Rich EC. Policy Options to Encourage Patient-Physician Shared Decision Making, No. 5 In: NICHR, ed. Analysis Policy. Vol 5 Washington, D.C.: National Institute for Health Care Reform; 2011: 1– 10.
  60. [67]Schonbucher V, Schweizer K, Rustige L, Schutzmann K, Brunner F, Richter-Appelt H. Sexual quality of life of individuals with 46,XY disorders of sex development. J Sex Med. 2012; 9: 3154– 3170. 20059666

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Weidler, E. M., & Peterson, K. E.
Affiliations
Phoenix Children's Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Weidler, Erica M.
Venue
Seminars in Pediatric Surgery
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-10
Volume
28
Issue
5
Pages
150840
ISSN
1055-8586 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2972753253
Cited by
29
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1
FWCI
0.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Seminars in Pediatric Surgery (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare
Keywords
disorders of sex development, DSD, disclosure, culture, cultural beliefs, physician-patient communication, parent-physician communication, congenital genitourinary anomalies, diagnosis communication
MeSH terms
Child, Communication, Culture, Humans, Parent-Child Relations, Parents, Professional-Family Relations, Disorders of Sex Development, Disclosure, Social Stigma

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review