Hormone Therapy Helps Reduce Depression Among Transgender Patients: Study (Image Credits: iStock)
A recent study shows the significant mental health benefits of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) for transgender and nonbinary individuals. The research, published on March 17 in JAMA Network Open, suggests that those who receive hormone therapy experience a notable reduction in depression symptoms compared to those who do not.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, analyzed data from 3,592 patients at two federally qualified community health centres in Boston and New York. It found that individuals prescribed hormone therapy had a 15 per cent lower risk of developing moderate to severe depression over four years.
Mental Health Disparities
Transgenders face disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges compared to their cisgender counterparts. According to lead study author Sari Reisner, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan, trans people are at greater risk of depression and suicidality.
“Trans people experience mental health disparities with higher rates of depression and suicidality than cisgender (non-transgender) people,” Reisner told CNN. “Trans people are literally dying. There is an urgent need—now more than ever—to care for us, support us, and ensure we have the life-saving care that we deserve and need to thrive.”
The researchers evaluated participants’ hormone therapy prescriptions alongside their depression scores measured through the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Their findings revealed that individuals undergoing hormone therapy had significantly lower rates of moderate to severe depression over time.
The Role of Hormone Therapy in Mental Well-Being
Dr Michelle Forcier, medical director for FOLX Health, a telehealth platform for LGBTQIA+ people, explains that gender-affirming hormone therapy is beneficial not only for physical transition but also for mental health.
“Providing gender hormones did not just offer physical benefits to transgender and gender-diverse patients,” Forcier said. “Yet again, we demonstrate that they improve their mental health outcomes as well.”
While the National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 8.3 per cent of U.S. adults experience major depression, a 2023 study found that approximately 33 per cent of transgender people report symptoms of depression. Experts attribute this disparity to systemic issues such as discrimination, restricted access to health care, and legislative attacks on transgender rights.
Legislative Barriers to CareThe increasing number of policies restricting transgender health care further exacerbates mental health risks. Reisner pointed out that in 2018, only two bills targeted transgender rights, whereas in 2023, the number had surged to 185.
“Recent Executive Orders banning ‘gender ideology’ and restricting the rights of trans people have devastating mental health consequences for trans communities,” Reisner explained.
The Importance of Accessible Care
Experts show the study’s diverse sample, which included people of various ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds, making the findings widely applicable.
“That these patients benefited from care in these various primary care clinics in a diversity of communities suggests that effective gender-affirmative hormone therapy is no longer restricted to urban, academic, speciality clinics,” Forcier noted.
With over 25 years of research supporting gender-affirming care, experts stress that withholding medically indicated, safe, and effective treatment offers no benefits. “There are no studies that suggest that withholding medically indicated, safe, effective care (offers) any benefit at all,” Forcier added.
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