Young Transgender Women at Higher Risk of Depression and Addiction: Study

Young transgender women are more likely than the general U.S. population to be affected by mental health issues such as addiction and depression, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital note mental health issues and addiction affect between 4 to 26 percent of people in the United States. Among the 300 transgender women in the study, about 42 percent had one or more mental health or addiction diagnoses. One-fifth had two or more diagnoses. The study participants ranged in age from 16 to 29.

About one-third of participants had been depressed at some time in their lives, and 15 percent were currently depressed. About 20 percent reported suicidal thoughts in the past 30 days. About 8 percent of participants had anxiety in the past six months, and about 10 percent had post-traumatic stress disorder. About 11 percent reported alcohol dependence in the past year, while 15 percent reported some other type of addiction.

The risk of mental health issues and addiction appears to increase with age, the researchers report in JAMA Pediatrics.

“Although U.S. mental health services are slowly becoming more transgender inclusive, substance use treatment programs tailored to meet the needs of transgender individuals, particularly young transgender women, remain scarce,” the researchers wrote.

“There is a critical need for skilled and well-informed mental health professionals,” lead researcher Sari Reisner told Reuters.