Older trans teens seeking gender-affirming care also have more mental health concerns

Teens who seek gender-affirming care when they're older than 15 tend to also have more mental health concerns than those who seek care at a younger age. Of 300 youth who were included in a new study, 46% of those who sought care for their gender dysphoria at age 15 or older reported depression, compared to 30% of those who sought care when they were younger than 15. A higher proportion of the older youth also reported self-harm, suicide ideation or attempts, and taking psychoactive medication than younger youth. Transgender youth are already a vulnerable population, and the study's findings suggest that older trans youth may be a particularly high-risk subset of the trans population.