First Australian National Trans Mental Health Study

NCT ID: NCT02119377

Last Updated: 2014-05-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 946 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2013-12-31

Brief 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).

Conditions

Transsexualism

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_ONLY
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Transgender and Transsexual People

Transgender and transsexual (trans) people aged 18 years or older living in Australia were invited to complete a questionnaire assessing a range of mental and physical health domains.

questionnaire

Intervention Type: OTHER

Interventions

questionnaire

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Live in Australia
• Self-identify as trans

Exclusion Criteria

• Aged less than 18 years

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Beyondblue (The National Depression Initiative)

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Curtin University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Zoë Hyde

Dr

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Zoë Hyde, MPH PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Curtin University

Maryanne Doherty, MSc PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Curtin University

Peter Tilley, MPsych

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Curtin University

Kieran A. McCaul, MPH PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Western Australia

Rosanna Rooney, MPsych PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Curtin University

Jonine Jancey, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Curtin University

Locations

Curtin University

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Countries

Australia

Related Links

http://transoz.org/

Study website

Other Identifiers

CB:gc:6722

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id