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# Study finds gender-affirming surgery supports mental wellbeing
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/study-finds-gender-affirming-surgery-supports-mental-wellbeing/
- Published: 2021-05-01T09:18:35.000Z
- Updated: 2021-05-01T09:18:35.000Z
- Description: A new study researchers found access to gender-affirming surgery is associated with better mental health in trans adults.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: Health, News, Queer Corner, LGBTQ, Trans healthcare, Transgender

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/transgender_mental_health_insert_by_bigstock-600x400-1.jpg)

A new [study](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2779429?ref=scenemag.co.uk) by **Harvard Medical School** researchers, published in *JAMA Surgery*, found access to gender-affirming surgery is associated with better mental health in trans adults, including lower rates of suicidal ideation. The report, titled *Association Between Gender-Affirming Surgeries and Mental Health Outcomes*, compared the mental wellbeing of 3,559 trans people who had undergone surgery, compared to 16,401 who desired such treatments but have not yet received them.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/healthcare-human-rights-600-400.jpg)

Those who had undergone gender-affirming surgery were 42% less likely to have experienced psychological distress within the past month, as well as being 44% less likely to have experienced suicidal ideation within the past 12 months. Out of all respondents whose household income was under $25,000 per annum, 36.3% had never had surgery, compared to 12.6% of those whose household income exceeded $100,000.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/trans-healthcare-now-1.jpg)

Lead author, **Dr. Alex S Keuroghlian**, said the findings are *“incredibly important for the evolving field of transgender health care.”* They continued: *“In light of this study’s results, gender-affirming surgeries should be made available for transgender and gender diverse people who seek them, and we should work to remove barriers to gender-affirming surgery such as insurance exclusions for such care.”*