The suicidal activity and comorbid mental pathology in persons with gender dystrophia

Abstract

According to foreign publications, 58% of patients with gender disorders had additional psychiatric diagnosis, 39.3% had at least one suicide attempt. The data of suicidal activity and mental comorbidity in Russian population of transgenders are absent.Purpose of the study is to assess suicidal activity and mental comorbidity in persons with gender disorders.The retrospective analysis of records of patients applied with complains on gender disorders from January 2014 to April 2021 was applied. The demographic characteristics, life anamnesis, comorbid mental pathology at time of appliance, frequency of suicidal attempts, suicidal thoughts and auto-aggressive behavior were examined. The data of 926 patients with gender disorders were included: FtM 515 (55.7%), MtF 411 (44.3%). The median age of patients applied for care appliance was 24 years (13-65 years). In group of transgender patients 75.2% had no mental illness, except gender disorders. At that, there was high prevalence of comorbid mental pathology (24.8% on average). Usually, it was background mental illnesses and reversible mental disorders, which were not causes of gender disorders. The suicide rate in transgender group was 12.5%. For 1 patient with suicidal experience, there were 1.3 suicidal attempts (from 1 to 5). The significant dependence of increased suicidal activity, depression, auto-aggressive behavior and rate of comorbid mental pathology on age of debut of gender disorders was established. The transgender patients with debut of gender dysphoria in puberty age are most vulnerable to development of any mental pathology. The suicidal activity of patients with gender disorders depends on both social causes and presence of comorbid mental pathology. A number of modifiable risk factors for suicidal behavior were identified: support of relatives, external correspondence to associated gender, early steps to “change gender”, earlier apply for medical care, background compensated mental illnesses.