A new study published in JAMA Surgery has found that gender-affirming surgery is associated with improved mental health outcomes among transgender people. The study was authored by researchers at Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health & the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. This is the first large-scale controlled study to demonstrate an association between gender-affirming surgery & improved mental health outcomes & adds important new knowledge to the field as there is little high-quality evidence regarding the mental health effects of gender-affirming surgery. Anthony N. Almazan, Harvard Medical School Study Lead Author stated, “There is great demand among transgender & gender diverse people for gender-affirming surgery & thanks to recommendations by professional associations and clinical support for gender-affirming surgical care, these treatments are much more common today than they were even just 10 years ago. But until now there has been limited evidence that these surgeries result in better mental health outcomes.” Dr. Alex S. Keuroghlian, National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute & the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Gender Identity Program concluded, “These results are incredibly important for the evolving field of transgender health care. Although clinicians have long supported the provision of gender-affirming medical & surgical care, the practice has been challenged by health insurers asking for more evidence showing its efficacy. In light of this study’s results, gender-affirming surgeries should be made available for transgender & gender diverse people who seek them & we should work to remove barriers to gender-affirming surgery such as insurance exclusions for such care.”
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