Nutrition and Health Sciences, Department of

 

Date of this Version

2016

Citation

Transgender Health Volume 1.1, 2016 DOI: 10.1089/trgh.2015.0001.

Comments

Copyright Dejun Su et al. 2016; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. This Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License.

Abstract

Purpose: This study assessed within a Midwestern LGBT population whether, and the extent to which, transgender identity was associated with elevated odds of reported discrimination, depression symptoms, and suicide attempts.

Methods: Based on survey data collected online from respondents who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender persons over the age of 19 in Nebraska in 2010, this study performed bivariate t- or chisquare tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine differences in reported discrimination, depression symptoms, suicide attempts, and self-acceptance of LGBT identity between 91 transgender and 676 nontransgender respondents.

Results: After controlling for the effects of selected confounders, transgender identity was associated with higher odds of reported discrimination (OR = 2.63, p < 0.01), depression symptoms (OR = 2.33, p < 0.05), and attempted suicides (OR = 2.59, p < 0.01) when compared with nontransgender individuals. Self-acceptance of LGBT identity was associated with substantially lower odds of reporting depression symptoms (OR = 0.46, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Relative to nontransgender LGB individuals, transgender individuals were more likely to report discrimination, depression symptoms, and attempted suicides. Lack of self-acceptance of LGBT identity was associated with depression symptoms among transgender individuals.

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