Young Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Persons Seeking Endocrine Care in the University Hospital Nancy: Lessons Learned and Challenges

TL;DR

This study explores the experiences of transgender and gender nonconforming young people seeking hormone treatment at a French hospital, highlighting challenges and the need for better support.

Contribution

The study combines quantitative and qualitative data to reveal new insights into the needs and experiences of transgender youth in France.

Findings

Transgender men seeking care were younger than transgender women at first referral.

More than half of participants first questioned their gender identity before puberty.

Participants reported discomfort with available treatments and a lack of societal representation.

Abstract

Over the last decade at the University Hospital of Nancy in Lorraine, France, we have observed an increasing number of people under 35 years old who receive consultation for gender incongruence, from an average of 7 new patients per year in 2002–2013 to an average of 27 per year in 2014–2017.

We conducted a mixed‐methods study, including a retrospective quantitative analysis of medical records of youths who sought care for gender incongruence from 2004 to 2020, and a qualitative analysis of in‐depth interviews with 11 patients identified through the medical records.

The study included 235 participants (135 assigned female at birth, 100 assigned male at birth). Transgender men were younger than transgender women: mean age 20 (1.6, standard deviation, [SD]) years vs. 22.7 (4.3 SD) years; p = 0.01 at first referral. We observed no difference in age at the initiation of gender‐affirming hormonal treatments. More than half of our participants chronologically situated their first questioning about their gender identity in the prepubertal period. Their life experiences revealed a lack of transgender representation in society, discomfort with the treatments offered, difficulties in becoming aware of and disclosing their gender identity, and the importance of peer/community support.

The present study provides insights into the growing population of transgender and gender nonconforming people receiving care in the University Hospital of Nancy which has coincided with the evolution of the national legal framework. Our results identify several priorities for transgender youth who are receiving gender‐affirming care. Further research outside hospital networks appears warranted.

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