Research

Content:

• This article discussed some of the most common disparities and obstacles faced by transgender patients and argued for the paramount role of the provider in establishing gender-affirming care and some high-impact avenues which the provider, regardless of specialty, may pursue when caring for these patients.

• This article concluded that "gender-affirming care has consistently been shown to improve quality of life, improve health outcomes, and reduce rates of SI and SAs."

• It added that "gender-neutral language, explicit use of personal pronouns, and sensitive physical exams can all have dramatic effects on the patient experience and ability to establish rapport."

Research Article

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9341318/

Content:

• The synthesis found that gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is a highly individual and nonlinear journey, characterized by both “highs” and “lows.”

• Most participants described GAHT as life-changing and affirming, often leading to improved gender congruence, reduced dysphoria, increased confidence, and a stronger sense of self.

• However, many individuals on GAHT continued to face anxiety, depression, and distress linked to social stigma, discrimination, and unmet expectations about the pace or extent of physical changes.

• Overall, the authors conclude that person-centered, affirming, and context-sensitive care is essential for people undergoing GAHT. They emphasize the importance of realistic expectations, ongoing psychosocial support, and peer navigation models to better support trans individuals throughout their hormone journey.

Research Article

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00918369.2023.2186759

Content:

• This article concluded that to address barriers to transgender healthcare, the following changes can be made: "enacting policy changes related to insurance coverage for gender-affirming healthcare, reforming medical school curricula to prepare future physicians to provide competent care to TNB patients, and continuing education for healthcare providers."

Research Article

• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-021-07001-2

Content:

• This review concluded that transgender children and adolescents "have elevated levels and rates of psychological distress and mental health concerns compared to their cisgender peers."

• It included a discussion of the minority stress model (including family rejection, peer victimization, discrimination, and nonaffirmation) and how this model can explain these mental health disparities.

• The review also concluded that "these disparities can be reduced or eliminated ... with social support, affirmation, and appropriate medical care."

Research Article

• https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-072220-020326

Content:

• This study investigated whether receiving gender-affirming care, puberty blockers (PBs), and gender-affirming hormones (GAHs) was associated with changes in depression, anxiety, and suicidality among transgender and nonbinary youths.

• It concluded that there were 60% lower odds of depression and 73% lower odds of suicidality among youths who had initiated PBs or GAHs compared with youths who had not.

Research Article

• https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2789423

Content:

• This article concluded that "increasing contact with transgender individuals could help improve attitudes toward transgender people." Increasing contact could include more representation in the media or instructors including transgender individuals in the classroom examples.

• This article also concluded that "transgender prejudice may be influenced by cultural factors." For instance, recent bans on trans rights could influence people's attitudes toward transgender individuals.

• Interventions may be "best focused on those with more transgender prejudice - e.g., men, heterosexuals, those higher in political conservatism."

Research Article

• https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/predictors-transgender-prejudice-meta-analysis/docview/2742892638/se-2?accountid=26166

Content:

• This article concluded that "puberty blockers and hormone therapy have positive implications for the mental health of TGD youth, including decreased depression, anxiety, suicidality, self-harm, gender dysphoria, and body dissatisfaction, as well as increased quality of life and life satisfaction."

• This article also emphasized the need for collaborative care between transgender individuals accessing gender-affirming medical care and their doctors.

Research Article

• https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/14/1659

Content:

• Researchers often focus on ways in which LGBTQ+ persons face higher risk for compromised mental and physical health. Today, trans and nonbinary individuals are especially susceptible to these risks due to the current sociopolitical climate. Resilience is viewed as a positive coping strategy; it also carries a cost.

• In a qualitative study exploring counselor effectiveness with LGBTQ+ clients, three trans and nonbinary participants revealed rich findings regarding the importance of resilience.

• Findings indicated that resilience is both internally and externally located. Resilience can also entail a concomitant burden. According to the article, "[this] cost includes being heard as a trans or nonbinary person, being seen, being relied upon as a ceaseless educator, and difficulty in accessing safe, affirming, and knowledgeable counselors."

Research Article

• https://doi.org/10.1080/26924951.2025.2472933

Content:

• Gender dysphoria is distress due to a discrepancy between one's assigned gender and gender identity.

• This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize all existing qualitative research literature about the lived experience of gender dysphoria in adults.

• The review identified four key concepts, which included "distress due to dissonance of assigned and experienced gender," “interface of assigned gender, gender identity, and society," ”negative social consequences of gender identity,” and” internal processing of rejection and transphobia.”

• The review concluded that "distress caused by the dissonance of assigned and experienced gender is closely intertwined with distress due to the reactions of others to one's gender identity."

Research Article

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7441311/

Content:

• Attention to transgender health issues has grown recently. However, there remain significant gaps in research on transgender health.

• Gaps in the research include:

• The understanding of resilience and health-promoting processes

• The use of sensitive theoretical frameworks

• Recognition of population complexity and heterogeneity

• Attention to female-to-male health

• Sampling approaches representative of transgender populations

• Inclusion of standardized and validated sex and gender measures

Research Article:

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4716649/

Content:

• This review discusses recent research on transgender identity development, management and affirmation.

• The review concluded that supportive social relationships and social environments are integral to the healthy development and expression of transgender identities.

Research Article

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X22001889

Content:

• Your child’s well-being depends on it. Extensive research shows that transgender youth with supportive parents “report higher life satisfaction, higher self-esteem, [and] better mental health including less depression and fewer suicide attempts” than those without strong parental support.

Research Articles

• https://www.lgbtmap.org/policy-and-issue-analysis/advancing-acceptance-for-parents