Clinical Characteristics, Psychiatric Comorbidities and Sociodemographic Profile of Transsexual Patients from an Outpatient Clinic in Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To provide a description of our transsexual population. Method: This descriptive observational study included 138 patients with a diagnosis of Transsexualism in Brazil, between March 1998 and September 2005. Demographic, clinical and psychiatry data were collected.Results: Age ranged from 16 to 54 years; 88.4% were male. The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases was 19.5%, and 17.6% were HIV-positive. Hormone therapy was reported by 91.2%, and 47.4% referred drug and alcohol use; 14.2%, attempted suicide; and 12.5%, history of sexual abuse. Self-mutilation was reported by 5.2%s. Fifty-nine patients (42.7%) had at least one currently psychiatric comorbidity (axis I or II).Conclusions: Mental health professionals have a central role in coordinating the multidisciplinary care of transsexuals.

Mortality Among Veterans with Transgender-Related Diagnoses in the Veterans Health Administration, FY2000–2009

“…46 Limitations Several limitations must be noted: First, crude estimates are reported, which do not take into account potential confounding by age, sex, or psychiatric comorbidities in this group, the latter of which is particularly important to note since the analytic sample was diagnosis-defined. Evidence shows psychiatric comorbidity occurs in many persons with GD, with estimates ranging from 14-61% across different samples; [47][48][49][50][51][52] Second, the diagnosis-driven methods used to identify patients in this cohort likely resulted in underestimating the population of transgender VHA veterans. VHA does not collect self-reported gender identity data from enrollees, therefore it is currently not possible to find veterans who self-identify as transgender but do not have GID/GD diagnoses.…”

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation in Women with Borderline Personality Disorder

“…For example, Madeddu, Prunas, and Hartmann [33] identified no case of BPD using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV (SCID) in a sample of 16 female‐to‐male transsexuals (see also Lobato et al. [34]). Although other studies have identified modest elevations of BPD traits among female‐to‐male transsexuals [35,36], there is little indication that the association is specific to GID because many of these studies failed to include clinical control comparison groups.…”

“…Although subsequent research on general patterns of associated psychopathology in adult females with GID suggests somewhat elevated rates compared with normative data [32], the evidence is far from convincing that there is a gross elevation in BPD. For example, Madeddu, Prunas, and Hartmann [33] identified no case of BPD using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) in a sample of 16 female-to-male transsexuals (see also Lobato et al [34]). Although other studies have identified modest elevations of BPD traits among female-to-male transsexuals [35,36], there is little indication that the association is specific to GID because many of these studies failed to include clinical control comparison groups.…”

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Psychological Adjustment Among Transsexuals in Spain

“…In studies regarding depression, different results have been found, with a range of current major depression between 1.4 and 17.4 % (Cole et al, 1997;Gómez-Gil et al, 2009;Haraldsen & Dahl, 2000;Hepp et al, 2005;Hoshiai et al, 2010;Lobato et al, 2007). To our knowledge, there are few studies regarding factors related to depression in transsexuals, although a review article indicated various contributory factors: discrimination, nondisclosure, lack of social support, therapies (hormones and surgery), sociodemographic, and socioeconomic factors (young age, single status, unemployment, etc.…”