Serious mental health disorders and thoughts of suicide are more prevalent among people who are transgender or gender diverse in Canada, researchers say.

Their study published recently in the journal JAMA Network Open found transgender participants were three times more likely to meet the criteria for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia than cisgender people.

They were also three times more likely to have had serious thoughts of suicide and six times more likely to have attempted it during their lifetime.

The results show a need to better support people as they express their gender identity, said senior author Ian Colman, a professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Ottawa.

B次元官网网址淭his points to the kinds of stressors that they are likely facing as theyB次元官网网址檙e going through that process,B次元官网网址� Colman said in an interview Wednesday.

B次元官网网址淭he more we can do to support them, the better B次元官网网址� whether thatB次元官网网址檚 gender-affirming care through the health-care system, whether thatB次元官网网址檚 providing safe spaces in schools, in communities B次元官网网址� or just being more supportive and tolerant as a society, I think all those things are going to be helpful.B次元官网网址�

The population-based study analyzed responses to the most recent Statistics Canada Mental Health and Access to Care survey, which included people 15 years of age and older surveyed between March and July of 2022.

The StatCan response rate was 25 per cent, resulting in a sample of 9,861 people. Fifty-two respondents were transgender or gender diverse.

B次元官网网址淲hen you just see these exceptionally high rates of poor mental health and suicidality in this population, this is a crisis and these people need support,B次元官网网址� Colman said.

Disparities in mental health might be explained by B次元官网网址渕inority stress theory,B次元官网网址� the authors said in the study, published Oct. 2.

That means B次元官网网址減rejudice and negative social experiences by members of historically stigmatized groups can have substantial impacts on both physical and mental health,B次元官网网址� they said.

Dr. Sarah Fraser, a family doctor who runs a gender-affirming clinic in Halifax, said the study results were B次元官网网址渦nfortunately not surprising.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚n my clinical practice, it is clear that trans and diverse individuals have higher rates of mental health issues like depression, anxiety and suicidal thinking,B次元官网网址� Fraser, who was not involved in the study, said in an email to The Canadian Press.

B次元官网网址淢y trans patients have told me that they are followed, harassed, yelled at, or even physically assaulted just for being who they are. I hear this every single day,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淎s a family doctor, I think that one thing we can take away from this study is the importance of providing gender-affirming care, and of being a supportive place where people can come regardless of their gender identity,B次元官网网址� Fraser said.

Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale B次元官网网址� a Canadian advocacy organization for the LGBTQ+ community B次元官网网址� said the study reflects the results of B次元官网网址渢he unacceptable amount of hate, violence, and discrimination that trans and gender-diverse communities face across the country.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎dvocates have long been warning of the devastating consequences, including higher rates of suicidality. The responsibility is on all of us to speak out against hateful misinformation and rhetoric so that trans and gender-diverse individuals know that they are valued and loved,B次元官网网址� Kennedy said in an email.

The researchers identified transgender and gender diverse participants by finding those whose reported gender identity differed from their sex assigned at birth.

Potential limitations of the study include the small number of transgender people in the sample, the authors said, but they noted the results were in line with other studies about use of mental health services among transgender people.

If you are thinking about suicide, or youB次元官网网址檙e worried about someone else, call or text CanadaB次元官网网址檚 suicide crisis helpline at 9-8-8. Help is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.