Study: 60% of trans people refused medical care attempt suicide
A US report has found that 60% of trans people who have been refused medical care have attempted suicide.
The National Transgender Discrimination Survey was conducted by the Williams Institute UCLA, and polled over 6400 trans or gender non-conforming adults in America.
It looked into a range of different adversities that trans people may face, and found “an unparalleled level of suicidal behaviour among transgender adults”.
Transgender men reported a general attempted suicide rate of 46%, slightly higher than the 42% reported for trans women and 43% for people who identify as non-binary.
Even the 21% rate among cisgender male cross-dressers – the lowest attempted suicide rate among groups studied – is far higher than the 4.6% of the overall US population who report a lifetime suicide attempt.
Among trans people who had been refused medical care by a doctor, 60% had attempted suicide. The figure rose to 61% among those who said they have been harassed by the police, and 69% among those who had experienced homelessness.
Trans people were also far more likely to attempt suicide if they had a low income, had been harassed at work, or if they had not been accepted by their family.
Jody L Herman, manager of transgender research at the Williams Institute said: “It’s alarming all across the board.”
A study last month found that 78% of trans people living in Ireland have considered suicide.
