Long term effect of gender affirming hormone treatment on depression and anxiety symptoms in transgender people: a prospective cohort study

Aldridge, Zo�; Patel, Shireen; Guo, Boliang; Nixon, Elena; Bouman, Walter Pierre; Witcomb, Gemma L.; Arcelus, Jon

Abstract

Background
Cross-sectional studies show that transgender people are more likely than cisgender people to experience depression and anxiety before Gender Affirming Hormone Treatment (GAHT). However, the effect of GAHT on mental health in transgender people, and the role of other factors that may have a predictive effect, is poorly explored.

Objectives
Using a longitudinal methodology, this study investigated the effect of 18 months GAHT on depression and anxiety symptomatology and the predictors on mental health outcomes in a large population of transgender people.

Materials and Methods
Participants (n=178) completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Autism Spectrum Quotient Short Version (AQ-short) at pre-assessment (T0) and at 18 months after initiation of GAHT (T1).

Results
From T0 to T1, symptomatology was significantly decreased for depression (P

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 6, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Sep 3, 2020
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Deposit Date: Aug 7, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 4, 2021
• Journal: Andrology
• Print ISSN: 2047-2919
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-2927
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 1808-1816
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.12884
• Keywords: hormone therapy, transgender, longitudinal, mental health, social support, autism
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4815797
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/andr.12884?af=R