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Exploring gender dysphoria and related outcomes in a prospective cohort study : Protocol for the Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study (SKDS)

Özel, Fatih ; Indremo, Malin ; Karamanis, Georgios ; Elofsson, Ulf ; Beckman, Ulrika ; Fazekas, Attila ; Frisén, Louise ; Isaksson, Magnus ; Sandström, Lotta and Thelin, Nils , et al. (2023) In BMJ Open 13(4).
Abstract

Introduction There has been a drastic increase in the reported number of people seeking help for gender dysphoria in many countries over the last two decades. Yet, our knowledge of gender dysphoria and related outcomes is restricted due to the lack of high-quality studies employing comprehensive approaches. This longitudinal study aims to enhance our knowledge of gender dysphoria; different aspects will be scrutinised, focusing primarily on the psychosocial and mental health outcomes, prognostic markers and, secondarily, on the underlying mechanisms for its origin. Methods and analysis The Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study is an ongoing multicentre longitudinal cohort study with 501 registered participants with gender dysphoria who are 15... (More)

Introduction There has been a drastic increase in the reported number of people seeking help for gender dysphoria in many countries over the last two decades. Yet, our knowledge of gender dysphoria and related outcomes is restricted due to the lack of high-quality studies employing comprehensive approaches. This longitudinal study aims to enhance our knowledge of gender dysphoria; different aspects will be scrutinised, focusing primarily on the psychosocial and mental health outcomes, prognostic markers and, secondarily, on the underlying mechanisms for its origin. Methods and analysis The Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study is an ongoing multicentre longitudinal cohort study with 501 registered participants with gender dysphoria who are 15 years old or older. Participants at different phases of their clinical evaluation process can enter the study, and the expected follow-up duration is three years. The study also includes a comparison group of 458 age- and county-matched individuals without gender dysphoria. Data on the core outcomes of the study, which are gender incongruence and experienced gender dysphoria, body satisfaction and satisfaction with gender-affirming treatments, as well as other relevant outcomes, including mental health, social functioning and life satisfaction, are collected via web surveys. Two different research visits, before and after starting on gender-affirming hormonal treatment (if applicable), are planned to collect respective biological and cognitive measures. Data analysis will be performed using appropriate biostatistical methods. A power analysis showed that the current sample size is big enough to analyse continuous and categorical outcomes, and participant recruitment will continue until December 2022. Ethics and dissemination The ethical permission for this study was obtained from the Local Ethical Review Board in Uppsala, Sweden. Results of the study will be presented at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Dissemination will also be implemented through the Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study network in Sweden.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adult psychiatry, Child & adolescent psychiatry, EPIDEMIOLOGY
in
BMJ Open
volume
13
issue
4
article number
e066571
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:37076146
  • scopus:85152977450
ISSN
2044-6055
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066571
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
f4f3c04a-910b-405f-bb4b-67d2e45aeaa6
date added to LUP
2023-08-01 15:54:48
date last changed
2024-04-20 00:04:58
@article{f4f3c04a-910b-405f-bb4b-67d2e45aeaa6,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction There has been a drastic increase in the reported number of people seeking help for gender dysphoria in many countries over the last two decades. Yet, our knowledge of gender dysphoria and related outcomes is restricted due to the lack of high-quality studies employing comprehensive approaches. This longitudinal study aims to enhance our knowledge of gender dysphoria; different aspects will be scrutinised, focusing primarily on the psychosocial and mental health outcomes, prognostic markers and, secondarily, on the underlying mechanisms for its origin. Methods and analysis The Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study is an ongoing multicentre longitudinal cohort study with 501 registered participants with gender dysphoria who are 15 years old or older. Participants at different phases of their clinical evaluation process can enter the study, and the expected follow-up duration is three years. The study also includes a comparison group of 458 age- and county-matched individuals without gender dysphoria. Data on the core outcomes of the study, which are gender incongruence and experienced gender dysphoria, body satisfaction and satisfaction with gender-affirming treatments, as well as other relevant outcomes, including mental health, social functioning and life satisfaction, are collected via web surveys. Two different research visits, before and after starting on gender-affirming hormonal treatment (if applicable), are planned to collect respective biological and cognitive measures. Data analysis will be performed using appropriate biostatistical methods. A power analysis showed that the current sample size is big enough to analyse continuous and categorical outcomes, and participant recruitment will continue until December 2022. Ethics and dissemination The ethical permission for this study was obtained from the Local Ethical Review Board in Uppsala, Sweden. Results of the study will be presented at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Dissemination will also be implemented through the Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study network in Sweden.</p>}},
  author       = {{Özel, Fatih and Indremo, Malin and Karamanis, Georgios and Elofsson, Ulf and Beckman, Ulrika and Fazekas, Attila and Frisén, Louise and Isaksson, Magnus and Sandström, Lotta and Thelin, Nils and Tivesten, Åsa and Wahlberg, Jeanette and Skalkidou, Alkistis and Bodlund, Owe and Papadopoulos, Fotios C.}},
  issn         = {{2044-6055}},
  keywords     = {{Adult psychiatry; Child & adolescent psychiatry; EPIDEMIOLOGY}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{4}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{BMJ Open}},
  title        = {{Exploring gender dysphoria and related outcomes in a prospective cohort study : Protocol for the Swedish Gender Dysphoria Study (SKDS)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066571}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066571}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}