Transgender people are significantly more likely to have long-term mental health condition, including depression and anxiety, say researchers who analysed GP patient survey data.
The study by researchers at Manchester University of 1.5 million people over the age of 16 found the risk of having a long-term mental health condition in England was roughly one in six for transgender men and women.
This compared with around one in ten for cisgender individuals – 8% for men and 12% for women – the team reported in The Lancet Public Health journal.
It is the first nationally representative analysis and included almost 8,000 transgender people.
The risk of reporting a mental health condition was even higher for some gender minority groups, reaching almost one in two (47.2%) for non-binary people, the analysis suggested.
Using data from the English GP Patient Survey in 2021 and 2022, the researchers reported that transgender patients were also more likely to say their mental health needs had not been met at their last GP appointment.
The survey did not ask for details of the mental health condition but other studies had shown higher rates of anxiety and depression, as well as eating disorders, self-harm and suicidality are more common in transgender people, they noted in the paper.
They concluded that the NHS should become more gender inclusive and said there was a need for better training for healthcare professionals to better meet the mental health needs of transgender patients.
Other surveys have also suggested that GPs may not be meeting the needs of transgender people. Yet a study published in December found the recording of transgender identify in GP patient records has increased five-fold in the past two decades.
Dr Luke Munford, senior lecturer in Health Economics, University of Manchester, said: “Trans, non-binary and gender diverse people across England face widespread discrimination, leading to stressful social interactions and feelings of unacceptance, increasing the risk of poor mental health.
“Additionally, gender dysphoria – a sense of unease due to a mismatch between a person’s biological sex and their gender identity – may increase the risk of poor mental health amongst some trans, non-binary, and gender diverse people, especially when combined with very long waiting times for NHS gender identity clinics.’
Study lead Dr Ruth Watkinson, who researches health inequalities, said poor communication from health-care professionals and inadequate staff-patient relationships may explain why trans, non-binary, and gender diverse patients were more likely to report their mental health needs were not met at a recent GP appointment.
“Changes are urgently needed for the NHS to become a more supportive service to transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse patients, including improved recording of gender across health-care records systems and staff training to ensure health-care professionals meet the mental health needs of all patients, whatever their gender,” she added.
