To characterize a US nationwide sample of transgender youths who used puberty blockers and compare their rates of mental health diagnoses with those of various cohorts.
Approach:
Cohorts Defined: Four mutually exclusive cohorts were established: transgender youths using puberty blockers (Cohort A), cisgender youths using puberty blockers for precocious puberty (Cohort B), transgender youths not using puberty blockers (Cohort C), and cisgender youths no…
Data Source: The study utilized deidentified data from the Mount Sinai Institute for Health Equity Research Multi-Payer Claims Database, covering a wide range of payer types.
Mental Health Diagnoses: Mental health diagnoses were characterized using ICD-10 codes across various categories, including mood disorders and suicidality.
Key Findings:
Puberty blockers are associated with decreased lifetime suicidal ideation among transgender youths.
Their use is supported by major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Endocrine Society, Pediatric Endocrine Society, and World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
There is a lack of studies using claims data to assess the population associations of puberty blockers among transgender and cisgender youths.
Interpretation:
The study aims to investigate the mental health outcomes of transgender youths using puberty blockers compared to other cohorts.
Limitations:
The study relies on administrative claims data, which may not capture all relevant mental health outcomes.
The retrospective nature of the study limits causal inferences.
Conclusion:
The findings provide insights into the mental health impacts of puberty blockers among transgender youths.
