Summarised by Centrist
A recent study in BMJ Mental Health examined suicide mortality among gender-referred adolescents and young adults in Finland over 25 years. It found that suicide rates among this group are rare and not significantly higher than the general population when psychiatric needs are controlled for. While gender reassignment did not reduce suicide risk, there was a clear link between mental health issues and increased suicide risk.
The findings suggest that suicide risk in gender-dysphoric youth may have been overestimated, and the more pressing need is to identify and treat underlying mental disorders.
While the study has strengths like a large sample size, it also has limitations such as a short follow-up period and limited suicide events for subgroup analysis.
This research builds on previous studies in Finland that raised concerns about gender reassignment for minors and the importance of addressing psychiatric comorbidities. Also, the potential harms of treatment, such as infertility and cardiovascular risks, must be carefully considered.
