Gender-affirming care is preventative care
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Mental health is a major public health crisis and has become a top priority in the United States, as anxiety and depression symptoms remain elevated compared to pre-coronavirus (COVID) pandemic rates both in the general population, 1 and in communities of transgender and nonbinary (trans) people. 2 Addressing mental health problems among trans people necessitates explicit programmatic and investment goals that allow the equitable provision of not just treatment, but instead, an array of both preventative and treatment tools, including the integration of gender-affirming care (GAC) services consisting of high-quality medical, surgical, and mental health services that affirm and align gender goals-and are tailored to meet the needs of trans people.For the growing 1.6 million U.S. trans people, mental health problems are particularly pressing given the disproportionally high levels we experience.My reflexive observation as a social epidemiologist and an Asian American/Filipina trans woman who experienced fragmented mental healthcare systems, and have seen fellow marginalized trans individuals also navigate similarly, led me to embrace envisioning solutions and possibilities for current and future generations of our communities, particularly when faced with existing epidemiological data on mental health.Specifically, prevalence estimates of lifetime suicide attempts, severe psychological distress, and clinical depression are as high as 40%, 39%, and 52%-rates that are estimated to be nine, eight, and six times more than the general U.S. population at 4 .6%, 5%, and 8 .4%, respectively.3 These rates are even more pronounced, particularly with younger, Black, Indigenous, and Asian American and Pacific Islander trans communities who substantially face fragmented GAC 3 -making mental health a significant health priority.GAC is an integral determinant of trans people's well-being.4 While not all trans people seek GAC, most do.For trans youth, GAC is an unimpulsive and wellinformed decision between themselves, their parents, and providers-one that prioritizes parental consent and youth's assent to fully understand the scope of the treatment, including its timeline, risks and benefits,
Author: Arjee Javellana Restar
Institutions: University of Washington, Yale University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,000
OpenAlex ID: W4381987666