Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa

dc.contributor.advisorPieterse, Deirdre
dc.contributor.authorDangor, Fatima
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-28T09:51:49Z
dc.date.available2023-06-28T09:51:49Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.date.updated2023-06-28T09:50:23Z
dc.description.abstractBackground: International research indicates that due to the impact of stigma, marginalisation and discrimination, transgender individuals are a vulnerable population at risk of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour. Despite this, there is a lack of research on the prevalence of mental health conditions and suicidal behaviour amongst transgender individuals in South Africa. Aim: To assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in transgender individuals seen at the Transgender Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital. To provide an improved understanding of the mental health needs of individuals attending the TGC. Setting: This study was conducted at the multidisciplinary Transgender Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital, South Africa. Methods: The study was a retrospective folder review of individuals attending the clinic from November 2018 until December 2019. Results: 44 individuals attended the clinic during the study, all of which were included in the analysis. Depression was the most commonly self-reported symptom (n=13, 29.5%). Other common symptoms included those of panic and generalised anxiety (n=10, 22.7%). After assessment at the TGC, thirty-one (70.5%) individuals met the criteria for a psychiatric disorder. Mood disorders were the most common DSM–5 diagnoses (n=28, 63.6%). Thirteen (41.9%) individuals with a current psychiatric disorder were on treatment. Almost three-quarters of the individuals (n=32, 72.7%) reported alcohol consumption, of which only 2 individuals (4.5%) reported regular daily consumption. Twenty-one individuals were tobacco smokers (47.7%), and approximately one-third used cannabis (n=16, 36.4%). Eighteen (40.9%) individuals reported suicidal behaviour, and fourteen (31.8%) non-suicidal self-injury. ix Conclusion: Transgender individuals attending the GSH Transgender Clinic had a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour. Our improved understanding of the mental health needs of individuals attending the Transgender Clinic will better inform future gender affirming care. Keywords: gender non-conforming; mental health; non-suicidal self-injury; psychiatric disorders; South Africa; suicidal behaviour; transgenderen_US
dc.identifier.apacitationDangor, F. (2023). <i>Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa</i>. (). ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37989en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationDangor, Fatima. <i>"Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa."</i> ., ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2023. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37989en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationDangor, F. 2023. Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa. . ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37989en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Dangor, Fatima AB - Background: International research indicates that due to the impact of stigma, marginalisation and discrimination, transgender individuals are a vulnerable population at risk of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour. Despite this, there is a lack of research on the prevalence of mental health conditions and suicidal behaviour amongst transgender individuals in South Africa. Aim: To assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in transgender individuals seen at the Transgender Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital. To provide an improved understanding of the mental health needs of individuals attending the TGC. Setting: This study was conducted at the multidisciplinary Transgender Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital, South Africa. Methods: The study was a retrospective folder review of individuals attending the clinic from November 2018 until December 2019. Results: 44 individuals attended the clinic during the study, all of which were included in the analysis. Depression was the most commonly self-reported symptom (n=13, 29.5%). Other common symptoms included those of panic and generalised anxiety (n=10, 22.7%). After assessment at the TGC, thirty-one (70.5%) individuals met the criteria for a psychiatric disorder. Mood disorders were the most common DSM–5 diagnoses (n=28, 63.6%). Thirteen (41.9%) individuals with a current psychiatric disorder were on treatment. Almost three-quarters of the individuals (n=32, 72.7%) reported alcohol consumption, of which only 2 individuals (4.5%) reported regular daily consumption. Twenty-one individuals were tobacco smokers (47.7%), and approximately one-third used cannabis (n=16, 36.4%). Eighteen (40.9%) individuals reported suicidal behaviour, and fourteen (31.8%) non-suicidal self-injury. ix Conclusion: Transgender individuals attending the GSH Transgender Clinic had a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour. Our improved understanding of the mental health needs of individuals attending the Transgender Clinic will better inform future gender affirming care. Keywords: gender non-conforming; mental health; non-suicidal self-injury; psychiatric disorders; South Africa; suicidal behaviour; transgender DA - 2023 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Medicine LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2023 T1 - Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa TI - Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37989 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/37989
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationDangor F. Psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africa. []. ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2023 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37989en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Healthen_US
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_US
dc.subjectMedicineen_US
dc.titlePsychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in patients seen at a transgender clinic in Cape Town, South Africaen_US
dc.typeThesis / Dissertationen_US
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