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# Study shows early care benefits trans youth mental health
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/study-shows-early-care-benefits-trans-youth-mental-health/
- Published: 2020-10-06T09:10:08.000Z
- Updated: 2020-10-05T07:34:17.000Z
- Description: A new study demonstrates that trans youth are less likely to experience mental health issues if they have early access to gender-affirming health care.
- Author: Rachel Badham
- Tags: Mental Health, News, Gender non-conforming, LGBTQ, LGBTQ Mental Health, Trans, Trans Mental Health, Trans Rights, Trans Youth

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

A **September 2020** [study](https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2020/09/17/peds.2019-3600?ref=scenemag.co.uk) published in **Pediatrics** demonstrates that trans and gender non-conforming young people are less likely to experience mental health issues if they have early access to gender-affirming health care. The study, titled *Mental Health and Timing of Gender-Affirming Care*, found that 30% of trans people who had access to suitable care at a younger age reported a diagnosis of depression, compared to 46% in those who did not have inclusive healthcare available to them. It also found 9% of the younger group had attempted suicide as opposed to 17% of people in the older group.

**Dr Julia C. Sorbara**, the lead author of the study, said: *“The findings highlight that timely access to gender-affirming medical care is really important for youth with gender dysphoria”.* She also pointed out that puberty is a difficult time for trans children*: “A major part of puberty is developing physical changes, and for youth with gender dysphoria, they begin to develop physical changes that are not in keeping with the gender they identify”.*

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/transgenderinfographic_edit_04-05-16-1.jpg)

Dr Sorbara, a pediatric endocrinologist, found 75% of young people who attended her clinic reported mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Mental health issues are particularly prevalent in the trans community; **Psychology Today** [stated](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-truth-about-exercise-addiction/201612/why-transgender-people-experience-more-mental-health?ref=scenemag.co.uk) trans people in the US were nine times more likely to have attempted suicide compared to cisgender people, which it attributes the discrimination and abuse some of them ‘face on a daily basis’.

Sorbara hopes the study will support efforts to ensure that gender-affirming healthcare is readily available to LGBTQ+ youth.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/transrights600.png)