Abstract

Introduction

Transgender individuals experience disproportionately higher rates of mental health concerns and lower quality of life (QoL) than the general population. Gender-affirming healthcare can reduce negative mental health outcomes and improve QoL. This review explores the mental health and QoL outcomes to accessing gender-affirming surgery for transgender individuals.

Method

Following the PRISMA guidelines, searches were conducted using five databases for peer-reviewed articles, in English, with full-text available online published between January 2000 and August 2021.

Result

Fifty-three studies were included. Findings indicate reduced rates of suicide attempts, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of gender dysphoria along with higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness and QoL after gender-affirming surgery. Some studies reported that initial QoL improvements post gender-affirming surgery were not always enduring.

Conclusion

This review supports the need for more sustainable and accessible gender-affirming surgery as a means for improving the mental health and overall QoL among transgender individuals and indicates the need for further research with greater methodological rigor focusing on correlates of positive gender-affirming surgical outcomes. Without social, legal, and public policy responses to transgender discrimination, marginalization and exclusion, the beneficial outcomes of improved gender-affirming surgery will remain unclear.

中文翻译：

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性别确认手术的心理健康和生活质量结果：系统的文献综述

摘要

介绍

与普通人群相比，跨性别者的心理健康问题和生活质量 (QoL) 比例更高。性别肯定的医疗保健可以减少负面的心理健康结果并改善 QoL。本综述探讨了跨性别者接受性别确认手术的心理健康和生活质量结果。

方法

遵循 PRISMA 指南，使用五个数据库进行了搜索，以查找 2000 年 1 月至 2021 年 8 月期间在线发布的全文英文同行评审文章。

结果

纳入了 53 项研究。调查结果表明，性别确认手术后自杀未遂、焦虑、抑郁和性别不安症状的发生率降低，生活满意度、幸福感和生活质量水平更高。一些研究报告说，性别确认手术后最初的生活质量改善并不总是持久的。

结论

这篇综述支持需要更可持续和更容易获得的性别肯定手术，以此作为改善跨性别者心理健康和整体生活质量的一种手段，并表明需要以更严格的方法进一步研究，重点关注积极的性别肯定手术结果的相关性。如果没有对跨性别歧视、边缘化和排斥的社会、法律和公共政策回应，改进的性别肯定手术的有益结果将仍然不明朗。