Effects of Gender-Affirming Care on Depression and Suicidality in Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Youth: A Systematic Review [paper]
Date
2022-12
Authors
Medic, Lejla
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Abstract
Due to the increased burden of depression and suicidality carried by the transgender and gender non-conforming youth population, legislative patterns limiting gender-affirming care, and recent increase in primary research on gender-affirming care in youth, a systematic review was conducted to address these trends. This review, guided by the Perceived Chronic Social Adversity Theory, began by searching databases PubMed, CINAHL, and Ovid Medline for full text, peer reviewed articles on the topic published between 2017 and 2022. Utilizing the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, only studies with a score of 7 and above, indicating high quality, were included. An evidence synthesis table was used to extract pertinent information from the included articles. Data analysis was conducted to find overarching themes between the intervention, gender-affirming care, and the measured outcomes, depression and suicidality, in transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Two themes were synthesized from the evidence: gender-affirming care is associated with decreased depressive symptoms/suicidality and support of gender identity is associated with less psychological distress. Based on these findings, healthcare providers should educate legislators as well as the community of this evidence, oppose bills that limit healthcare access, oppose bills that increase social adversity among this population, and support the use of the evidence-based guidelines already published by numerous professional medical organizations.
Description
Keywords
transgender, gender non-conforming, youth, gender-affirming care, depression, suicidality, Nursing
Citation
Medic, L. (2022). Effects of gender-affirming care on depression and suicidality in transgender and gender non-conforming youth: A systematic review [Report]. St. David's School of Nursing, Texas State University.