Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy: Physical and Sociopsychological Effects, Impact and Satisfaction

Santos, Rafael Baptista; Lemos, Carolina; Saraiva, Miguel

Publication

Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy: Physical and Sociopsychological Effects, Impact and Satisfaction

2023-03Journal article

dc.contributor.author	Santos, Rafael Baptista
dc.contributor.author	Lemos, Carolina
dc.contributor.author	Saraiva, Miguel
dc.date.accessioned	2024-07-02T13:03:16Z
dc.date.available	2024-07-02T13:03:16Z
dc.date.issued	2023-03
dc.description.abstract	Background Gender dysphoria treatment includes gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). Studies are still lacking on how to characterize its effects and impact on transgender people's lives more effectively. Aim To study the physical and psychological effects of GAHT on transgender individuals, assess its impact on their lives, and rate their overall satisfaction. Methods Participants (n = 114; ages 18-62 years; median age 24.0 (21.0 - 33.0) years) included transgender adults residing in Portugal who were undergoing or had undergone hormonal therapy for at least one uninterrupted year. Participants completed an original questionnaire. For most items, an ordinal Likert-style scale ranging from 0 (worst result) to 6 (best result) was used. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests, including Pearson's chi-squared test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze categorical and continuous variables, with a significance level set at 0.05. Outcomes The outcomes included desired physical changes rating (perception and satisfaction with changes); side effects of GAHT; the sociopsychological impact of GAHT (on self-esteem, body image, psychological wellbeing, social and family relations); overall satisfaction (with treatment results and medical follow-up). Results The changes classified as the most perceptible in those undergoing masculinizing treatment (Group M) were amenorrhea (6 (5.0-6.0) points) and clitoris enlargement (6 (5.0-6.0) points). These were also the ones rated as the most satisfactory (6 (6.0-6.0) points for amenorrhea and 6 (4.0-6.0) points for clitoris enlargement). On those undergoing feminizing therapy (Group F), the alteration voted as the most perceptible was sperm production decrease (6 (2.0-6.0) points), and the ones classified as the most satisfactory were sperm production decrease (6 (4.0-6.0) points) and spontaneous erections decrease (6 (5.0-6.0) points). Side effects were reported by 89.7% of Group M (mood swings were the most common) and 96.3% of Group F (decreased libido was the most frequent). The sociopsychological impact of hormonal treatment was significantly positive in all analyzed variables (p<0.001). Overall satisfaction with treatment results and medical follow-up were rated with 5 points and 4.5 points, respectively. Clinical implications This study provides clinicians with more evidence that GAHT may improve the physical, psychological and social health of transgender people seeking medical transition. Strengths and limitations The strengths of the current study include a high participant count relative to the target population, the acquisition of data on previously unexplored variables, and the significance of being one of the few investigations of its kind conducted in Portugal. However, the study has limitations, including differences in participant characteristics, a small sample size for some variables, potential bias due to the retrospective nature of the study, individualized treatment regimens, and the inclusion of participants from different countries, which limit the generalization of the results. Conclusions This study provides further evidence that GAHT is effective, and that its physical effects are satisfactory while resulting in mostly non-severe nor life-threatening side effects. GAHT is an important therapy in gender dysphoria and has consistent results in improving numerous sociopsychological variables.	pt_PT
dc.description.version	info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion	pt_PT
dc.identifier.citation	Santos RB, Lemos C, Saraiva M. Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy: Physical and Sociopsychological Effects, Impact and Satisfaction. Cureus. 2023;15(3):e36484. doi:10.7759/cureus.36484	pt_PT
dc.identifier.doi	10.7759/cureus.36484	pt_PT
dc.identifier.issn	2168-8184
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10400.16/2978
dc.language.iso	eng	pt_PT
dc.peerreviewed	yes	pt_PT
dc.publisher	Cureus, Inc.	pt_PT
dc.relation.publisherversion	https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.36484	pt_PT
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/	pt_PT
dc.subject	effects	pt_PT
dc.subject	gender-affirming hormone therapy	pt_PT
dc.subject	impact	pt_PT
dc.subject	satisfaction	pt_PT
dc.subject	transgender	pt_PT
dc.title	Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy: Physical and Sociopsychological Effects, Impact and Satisfaction	pt_PT
dc.type	journal article
dspace.entity.type	Publication
oaire.citation.conferencePlace	United States of America	pt_PT
oaire.citation.issue	3	pt_PT
oaire.citation.startPage	e36484	pt_PT
oaire.citation.title	Cureus	pt_PT
oaire.citation.volume	15	pt_PT
person.familyName	Baptista Santos
person.familyName	Saraiva
person.givenName	Rafael
person.givenName	Miguel
person.identifier.ciencia-id	A015-8959-D258
person.identifier.orcid	0000-0003-2549-2577
person.identifier.orcid	0000-0002-7492-5706
rcaap.rights	openAccess	pt_PT
rcaap.type	article	pt_PT
relation.isAuthorOfPublication	5cc16638-948d-4716-9ef8-d105cc4a819a
relation.isAuthorOfPublication	ef15c732-1cfc-4f53-8821-30fa280e5034
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery	5cc16638-948d-4716-9ef8-d105cc4a819a