2017 to 2021 Saw Rise in Gender Dysphoria Diagnoses

WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- There appears to be an increasing prevalence of gender dysphoria (GD) diagnoses, especially in people assigned female at birth, according to a study published online June 26 in General Psychiatry.

Ching-Fang Sun, M.D., from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke, and colleagues assessed current epidemiological trends of GD and how sex assigned at birth and age influence GD. Analysis included 66,078 individuals identified with GD through the TriNetX database Research Network.

The researchers found that the estimated prevalence of GD was 155 per 100,000 individuals, with a mean age of 26 years. GD was significantly more likely among those assigned female at birth, non-Hispanic or Latino individuals, and White individuals. There was a significant increase seen in the prevalence of GD diagnosis from 2017 to 2021, while the mean age at GD diagnosis decreased from 31.49 years in 2017 to 26.27 years in 2021. The highest prevalence of GD diagnosis among those assigned female at birth was at age 19 years versus 23 years for those assigned male at birth.

"We encourage youth to explore their gender identity with a nonbiased stance, educate the public on gender diversity, and call upon clinicians to provide timely assessment for children and youth with GD concerns," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text