Summary
Clinicians at an English adult gender clinic reviewed the notes of everyone discharged in one year. They wanted to see who got the treatment they wanted, who dropped out, and who went back to living as their birth sex. Just over half completed the planned treatment. 58% got everything they first asked for. Nearly all who wanted hormones got them, but fewer than half who wanted genital surgery had it. About one in five stopped attending and one in five were referred back soon after leaving. People with autism or similar conditions, more childhood hardship, or drug, alcohol or mental health problems during treatment were less likely to get care as planned. Twelve people (6.9%) detransitioned, far more than an earlier UK clinic figure of 0.3%. Because data came only from notes and follow-up was at most 16 months, the detransition figure is probably too low.
Key findings
- Bir yılda taburcu edilen 175 yetişkinin %56,1'i planlanan tedaviyi tamamladı ve %58'i ilk başta istediği tüm tedavileri aldı.
- Hormon isteyenlerin %94'ü hormonlara kavuştu, ancak genital ameliyat isteyenlerin yalnızca %47,7'si ameliyat oldu (erkekten kadına ameliyat için %56,5, kadından erkeğe ameliyat için %25,8).
- Verilerin kapsadığı 16 ay içinde hastaların %21,7'si kliniğe gelmeyi bıraktı ve %19,4'ü geri yönlendirildi; bunların çoğu (34 kişiden 24'ü) tedaviyi bitirmeden ayrılmıştı.
- Otizm ve benzeri durumlar (yaklaşık 6 kat daha yüksek olasılık), her ek çocukluk zorluğu türü (yaklaşık 1,5 kat), tedavi sırasındaki uyuşturucu ya da alkol sorunları (yaklaşık 4 kat) ve tedavi sırasındaki ruh sağlığı sorunları (yaklaşık 2 kat), bakımın planlandığı gibi alınamamasıyla tek tek ilişkiliydi.
- On iki kişi (%6,9) çalışmanın detransisyon tanımını karşıladı. İki kişi için pişmanlık kaydedildi ve on iki kişiden dördü daha sonra kliniğe geri yönlendirildi.
- Hastaların %42,9'unda tedavi sırasında ruh sağlığı sorunları kaydedildi ve üç kişi tedavi görürken intihar sonucu öldü.
- Yazarlar, yeni ve daha hızlı hizmet modellerinin çeşitli ve karmaşık bir hasta grubunun ihtiyaçlarını karşılamayabileceği konusunda uyarıyor.
Abstract
Background: UK adult gender identity clinics (GICs) are implementing a new streamlined service model. However, there is minimal evidence from these services underpinning this. It is also unknown how many service users subsequently 'detransition'. Aims: To describe service users' access to care and patterns of service use, specifically, interventions accessed, reasons for discharge and re-referrals; to identify factors associated with access; and to quantify 'detransitioning'. Method: A retrospective case-note review was performed as a service evaluation for 175 service users consecutively discharged by a tertiary National Health Service adult GIC between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018. Descriptive statistics were used for rates of accessing interventions sought, reasons for discharge, re-referral and frequency of detransitioning. Using multivariate analysis, we sought associations between several variables and 'accessing care' or 'other outcome'. Results: The treatment pathway was completed by 56.1%. All interventions initially sought were accessed by 58%; 94% accessed hormones but only 47.7% accessed gender reassignment surgery; 21.7% disengaged; and 19.4% were re-referred. Multivariate analysis identified coexisting neurodevelopmental disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 5.7, 95% CI = 1.7-19), previous adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) per reported ACE (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-1.9), substance misuse during treatment (OR = 4.3, 95% CI = 1.1-17.6) and mental health concerns during treatment (OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.4) as independently associated with accessing care. Twelve people (6.9%) met our case definition of detransitioning. Conclusions: Service users may have unmet needs. Neurodevelopmental disorders or ACEs suggest complexity requiring consideration during the assessment process. Managing mental ill health and substance misuse during treatment needs optimising. Detransitioning might be more frequent than previously reported.
Conclusion
Service users may have unmet needs. Neurodevelopmental disorders or ACEs suggest complexity requiring consideration during the assessment process. Managing mental ill health and substance misuse during treatment needs optimising. Detransitioning might be more frequent than previously reported.