Consultant
Dorte Glintborg
Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital
| Project management | ||
| Project status | Sampling ongoing | |
| Data collection dates | ||
| Start | 01.09.2019 | |
| End | 01.01.2040 | |
Morbidity in transgender persons in Denmark
Short summary
Transgender is used as an umbrella term to describe individuals, whose gender identity differs from the assigned sex at birth. Transgender females are people assigned male at birth, but who self-identify as females. Transgender males are people assigned female at birth, but who self-identify as male.
The aim of the register based study is to determine mortality and morbidity in transgender persons compared to controls.
Rationale
Transgender is used as an umbrella term to describe individuals, whose gender identity differs from the assigned sex at birth. Transgender females are people assigned male at birth, but who self-identify as females. Transgender males are people assigned female at birth, but who self-identify as male.
The number of transgender individuals in Denmark is estimated to be 6,000, but transgender per-sons are increasingly attending care facilities. Recent European studies reported that 0.7- 1.1% of people assigned male at birth and 0.6-0.8% people assigned female at birth reported an incongruent gender identity.
Cross-sectional studies reported 3 times increased risk of anxiety disorders in transgender individuals compared to controls and the prevalence of depression was around 30%. Furthermore, the rates of non-suicidal self-injuries and suicide attempts were nearly 50% in young transgender individuals .
Medical treatment of transgender individuals includes anti-androgen treatment combined with estrogen treatment in transgender women and testosterone treatment in transgender men.
Long term morbidity and mortality in transgender individuals is currently debated.
Available studies supported improved mental health during medical treatment of transgender populations, but there are no prospective register based studies in cohorts of transgender persons regarding risk of occurrence of psychiatric disease.
Prospective morbidity and mortality could be dependent of prescription of hormonal treatment.
Aim:
The aim of the register based study is to determine mortality and morbidity in transgender persons compared to controls.
Research questions:
Is morbidity and mortality higher in transgender persons compared to controls?
How does use of sex hormones affect morbidity and mortality in transgender persons?
Description of the cohort
Register based study in Danish transgender women and transgender men compared to age matched controls.
Data and biological material
Register based data.
Collaborating researchers and departments
Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital.
- Consultant, Dorte Glintborg
- Consultant, Marianne Andersen
- Lecturer, Katrine Hass Rubin