Surge in anti-transgender legislation and public policies
restricting access to gender-affirming care over the past decade
has likely contributed to significant and growing health
disparities
BOSTON, June 24,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A Research Letter
published online today in JAMA Internal Medicine highlights
significant and growing health disparities between transgender and
gender -diverse (TGD) adults and their cisgender peers across
the United States. Findings from
"Health Status and Mental Health of Transgender and Gender-Diverse
Adults" suggest that the surge in anti-transgender legislation and
public policies restricting access to gender-affirming care over
the past decade has likely contributed to these disparities. The
letter was authored by researchers from The Fenway Institute at
Fenway Health.
Our study reveals a burgeoning mental
health crisis among transgender and gender-diverse people, with
more than half reporting a diagnosis of depressive disorders.
"Our study reveals a burgeoning mental health crisis among
transgender and gender-diverse people, with more than half
reporting a diagnosis of depressive disorders," said Michael Liu, MPhil, lead author of the study.
"There is an urgent need for the health care sector to adhere to
established, evidence-based standards of care and advocate for
policies that protect the health and fundamental rights of these
vulnerable populations."
"Health Status and Mental Health of Transgender and
Gender-Diverse Adults" analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance System between 2014 and 2022. Researchers
utilized statistical models to calculate and compare representative
state-level trends in health outcomes between TGD and non-TGD
adults. Despite some limitations, such as potential recall and
response biases and variation in data collection across states,
findings from this study provide important insight into the
unprecedented health challenges faced by TGD adults.
Key findings include:
Poor or Fair Health Status: The prevalence of poor or fair
health status among TGD adults increased from 26.6% in 2014 to
35.1% in 2022. In contrast, this metric slightly decreased among
cisgender adults during the same period.
Frequent Mental Distress: The percentage of TGD adults
experiencing frequent mental distress (defined as 14 or more poor
mental health days in the past month) rose dramatically from 18.8%
to 38.9%. For cisgender adults, the increase was more modest, from
11.2% to 15.5%.
Depression: The prevalence of depression among TGD adults more
than doubled, from 19.7% in 2014 to 51.3% in 2022. Among cisgender
adults, the increase was significantly smaller from 18.6% to
21.1%.
"It is deeply concerning that mental health disparities among
TGD adults have worsened over the last decade, despite our
increasing understanding of the harm caused by multi-level stigma
and discrimination," said study senior author Dr. Alex S. Keuroghlian, who directs the National
LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute and the
Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Gender Identity Program.
"The damage from these new laws that restrict access to life-saving
care as well as the toxic rhetoric promulgated by these legislative
campaigns is incalculable. It is imperative that clinicians
understand established, evidence-based standards of care, and that
they follow them when caring for TGD people."
Findings from "Health Status and Mental Health of Transgender
and Gender-Diverse Adults" build upon those of other recent work
published by the same authors examining the impact of public
policies on the health and well-being of TGD people.
A Perspective published by the New England Journal of Medicine
provided guidance on how the health care sector can improve the
health of sexual and gender minorities amid the recently enacted
and proposed legislation that restrict the rights and protections
of these populations. "Achieving the Triple Aim for Sexual and
Gender Minorities" was published on July 23,
2022 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
A Viewpoint published in JAMA Pediatrics found that the numerous
bills filed in 2021 and 2022 seeking to block access to
gender-affirming care for TGD adolescents have far-reaching
repercussions for clinicians who provide gender-affirming care and
for the broader medical community. "Clinician-Level Implications of
Bans on Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Youth in the US" was
published online by JAMA Pediatrics on August 8, 2022.
A commentary published by Nature Medicine asserted that the
viability of gender-affirming health care is inextricably linked
with governmental policies, institutions, and structures that
protect and support the rights, dignity, inclusion and belonging of
all transgender and gender-diverse people. "The context, science
and practice of gender-affirming care" was published online in
Nature Medicine on December 15,
2022.
"Health Status and Mental Health of Transgender-Diverse Adults,"
is available online here.
Founded in 1971, Fenway Health advocates for and delivers
innovative, equitable, accessible health care, supportive services,
and transformative research and education. We center LGBTQIA+
people, BIPOC individuals, and other underserved communities to
enable our local, national, and global neighbors to flourish. The
Fenway Institute at Fenway Health is an interdisciplinary center
for research, training, education and policy development focusing
on national and international health issues.
Media Contact
Christopher
Viveiros, Fenway Health, 6177217494,
cviveiros@fenwayhealth.org, www.fenwayhealth.org
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SOURCE Fenway Health