First Australian National Trans Mental Health Study

Transsexualism Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Mixed-Methods Study of Mental Health and Associated Factors in Transgender and Transsexual (Trans) People

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02119377
• Other study ID #: CB:gc:6722
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: April 16, 2014
• Last updated: May 5, 2014
• Start date: August 2013
• Est. completion date: December 2013

Study information

• Verified date: May 2014
• Source: Curtin University of Technology
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Australia: Human Research Ethics Committee
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

This is an Internet-based survey of transgender and transsexual (trans) people aged 18 years and older living in Australia. This population has received limited attention from public health researchers, planners, and practitioners. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that trans people experience disparities in several important areas of health compared with the population generally. In particular, trans people are more likely to experience mental health problems (notably depression and anxiety disorders), use alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, and think about or attempt suicide. Additionally, trans people commonly report that their physical and mental health needs are not met, and underutilise preventive health care.

Participants were recruited using several non-probability sampling techniques, (including purposive sampling and snowball sampling), because random sampling is not possible with this population. Medical, social, support, and advocacy networks used by trans people were used to promote the study. A mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology was used. Validated quantitative instruments were used to obtain measures of health and well-being, which will be compared against population norms. Qualitative items complement these measures, providing rich experiential data.

The investigators hypothesised that:

• the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders will be higher than for the population generally, and that these conditions will commonly be undiagnosed and untreated;

• depressive and anxiety disorders will be associated with risky behaviours, such as tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use; and,

• trans people will report poor relationships with medical practitioners.

The investigators hypothesised that poor mental health is a consequence of several interrelated factors: body dysphoria (as a consequence of experiencing difficulty accessing medical treatment to alter sexual characteristics); societal discrimination and stigma (including harassment and violence); institutionalised discrimination (including difficulty changing identifying documents, and exclusion of surgical procedures and related treatments from public and private health systems); social isolation; and the belief held by many clinicians that transsexualism is a mental disorder (which may be a barrier to trans people forming trusting relationships with medical practitioners).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 946
• Est. completion date: December 2013
• Est. primary completion date: December 2013
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Live in Australia

• Self-identify as trans

Exclusion Criteria:

• Aged less than 18 years

Study Design

Observational Model: Case-Only, Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Transsexualism

Intervention

Other:
• questionnaire

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Australia	Curtin University	Perth	Western Australia

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Curtin University of Technology	Beyondblue (The National Depression Initiative)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Australia, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders	Assessed by self-report, and with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Primary	Perceived physical and mental health status	Assessed with the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs	Assessed by self-report	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Patient-doctor relationship between trans people and their general practitioners, and doctors generally	Assessed with the Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire (PDRQ-9) and other quantitative and qualitative questions	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Body image	Assessed with the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI)	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Factors that encourage and discourage trans people from accessing health care	Assessed with qualitative questions	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Factors that protect and promote mental health in trans people	Assessed with qualitative questions	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Use of hormone therapy and desire for, and uptake of transition-related surgery	Assessed with quantitative and qualitative questions	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Experiences of discrimination and harassment	Assessed with quantitative and qualitative questions	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No
Secondary	Desire to, and success changing identifying documentation	Assessed with quantitative and qualitative questions	At time of entry into study (cross-sectional)	No

External Links

•   Study website