Suomessa on seurattu jokaista kehodysforiasta kärsivää lasta 25 vuoden ajalta. Näiden psykiatriset ongelmat eivät vähentyneet sukupuolihoitojen myötä vaan kasvoivat reippaasti.
Tästä julkaistiin tutkimus Acta Paediatrica -lehdessä tällä viikolla. Tutkimusta johti professori Riittakerttu Kaltiala Tampereen yliopistollisesta sairaalasta. Kaltiala on johtanut nuorten sukupuoliklinikkaa vuodesta 2011 lähtien. Myös toiminut Briteissä.
Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adolescents and Young Adults Who Contacted Specialised Gender Identity Services in Finland in 1996–2019: A Register Study
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Aim
To examine the prevalence of severe psychiatric morbidity among gender-referred adolescents, focusing on gender differences and outcomes related to medical gender reassignment.
Methods
Finnish nationwide cohort of all under-23-year-old gender-referred individuals between 1996 and 2019 (
n = 2 083) and 16 643 matched controls. Cross-tabulations with X2 statistics and Cox regression were used to analyse the data.
Results
Gender-referred adolescents showed significantly higher psychiatric morbidity than controls both before (45.7% vs. 15.0%) and ≥ 2 years after referral (61.7% vs. 14.6%). Those referred after 2010 had greater psychiatric needs than earlier cohorts, both before (47.9% vs. 15.3%) and ≥ 2 years after (61.3% vs. 14.2%) referral. Among adolescents who underwent medical gender reassignment, psychiatric morbidity increased markedly during follow-up—rising from 9.8% to 60.7% in feminising gender reassignment and from 21.6% to 54.5% in masculinising gender reassignment. After adjusting for prior psychiatric treatment, all gender-referred adolescents had similarly elevated risks of psychiatric morbidity, with hazard ratios approximately three times higher than female controls and five times higher than male controls.
Conclusion
Severe psychiatric morbidity is common among gender-referred adolescents and appears to be more prevalent in those referred after the recent surge in referrals. Psychiatric needs do not subside after medical gender reassignment.
Summary
- Gender-referred adolescents show high psychiatric morbidity, yet gender differences and mental health trajectories after medical gender reassignment remain poorly understood.
- These adolescents had markedly higher psychiatric morbidity than controls before and after referral, with treatment needs often persisting and even intensifying after medical interventions—on some, they might even have a negative impact.
- Findings emphasise the need for thorough psychiatric assessment and ongoing treatment throughout medical gender reassignment."