New Study: Access to Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy Affects Mental Health of Trans, Non-binary Youth

A new study shows a correlation between the availability of gender-affirming hormone therapy and the mental health of trans youth, the Trevor Project notes at its website.

The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, is titled "Association of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy With Depression, Thoughts of Suicide, and Attempted Suicide Among Transgender and Nonbinary Youth."

Of the study's sample population, "Half of transgender and nonbinary youth said they were not using GAHT but would like to, 36% were not interested in receiving GAHT, and 14% were receiving GAHT," the abstract noted.

Researchers arrived at conclusions that seem to jibe with common sense, starting with family acceptance and support.

"Parent support for their child's gender identity had a strong relationship with receipt of GAHT, with nearly 80% of those who received GAHT reporting they had at least one parent who supported their gender identity," the abstract said.

As for the direct connection between trans and non-binary youth being allowed to access the therapy versus such therapy being criminalized and withheld by state laws, the results again seemed in line with what one might expect.

"Use of GAHT was associated with lower odds of recent depression," the abstract noted, "and seriously considering suicide... compared to those who wanted GAHT but did not receive it.

"For youth under age 18, GAHT was associated with lower odds of recent depression," the abstract continued, "and of a past-year suicide attempt."

Boiled down into plain English: "Findings support a relationship between access to GAHT and lower rates of depression and suicidality among transgender and nonbinary youth," the abstract summarized.

"The study builds upon research that demonstrates how transgender and nonbinary youth face elevated risk for depression, thoughts of suicide, and attempting suicide compared with youth who are cisgender and straight, including cisgender members of the LGBTQ community," text at the Trevor Project site said.

The site referred back to previous studies, the conclusions of which paint a concerning picture of the mental health challenges transgender and non-binary children face.

"A 2020 study, 'Understanding the Mental Health of Transgender and Nonbinary Youth'... found that transgender and nonbinary youth were 2 to 2.5 times as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide, and attempt suicide compared to their cisgender LGBQ peers," the Trevor Project site noted.

"Further, Trevor's 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that more than half (52%) of transgender and nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 1 in 5 reported attempting suicide – compared to 32% of cisgender LGBQ youth who seriously considered suicide and 1 in 10 who attempted suicide in the past year."

Despite strong scientific indications that access to GAHT improves the mental health of trans and gender-nonbinary youth, lawmakers in some states have opted to attack and obstruct access to potentially lifesaving and medically-appropriate treatment. The site pointed out that a "record number of anti-transgender bills have been debated across the country in 2021, including the passage of a ban on gender-affirming medical care in Arkansas and at least 20 other states considering similar legislation."

The new study touched upon the costs in human health and lives in this area, as well, with results showing "that transgender and nonbinary youth who lived in the South – the region where the majority of bans on GAHT have been introduced (subsequent to the collection of this data) – reported the highest rates of not being able to access GAHT when they wanted it."

In addition to creating upheaval in terms of continuity of care, such "efforts to restrict gender-affirming care may negatively impact mental health through two separate but linked pathways," the Trevor Project site's text warned, "the first by directly prohibiting medical care that many of youth rely on to reduce feelings of gender dysphoria and the second by increasing minority stress through exposure to negative public attention and harmful rhetoric in debates around transgender rights."