July 31, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Study Reveals Alarming Rise in Mental Health Distress Among TGNC Individuals

Research Highlights Urgent Need for Improved Access to Support Services

On April 10, the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) published a new study by Donn Feir, PhD, and Samuel Mann, PhD, examining the trends in the mental and physical health of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Here are the conclusions from the study: 

In the U.S., transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) individuals represent a historically marginalized segment of society. They often report unfavorable outcomes in terms of both physical and mental health compared to their cisgender counterparts. Despite advancements in psychological and physical healthcare provisions for TGNC individuals over the years, they face significant barriers that hinder access to crucial services, including but not limited to lengthy waiting lists, inconvenient travel requirements, and a lack of insurance coverage.

In the study published in the May 2024 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, researchers examined changes in self-reported mental health from 2014 to 2021 among a nationally representative adult population. By analyzing data from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, researchers Donn Feir of the University of Victoria and Samuel Mann of the RAND Corporation found that mental health distress increased disproportionately among TGNC adults over this period, compared to cisgender adults.

The number of self-reported “poor mental health days” per month serves as a reliable indicator of mental health, correlating with other psychological and physical health indicators. While TGNC individuals reported more poor mental health days in 2014, the statistics worsened significantly over the next seven years.

“In 2014, cisgender individuals reported a mean average of 3.68 poor mental health days, compared with a mean average of 5.42 poor mental health days among transgender respondents. The size of this disparity adjusted by differences in observable characteristics increased by 2.75 days over the sample period,” explained Mann.

Researchers also uncovered a disproportionate rise in the frequency of mental health distress reported by TGNC individuals during the seven-year study period. “In 2014, 11.4% of cisgender adults reported frequent mental distress compared with 18.9% of transgender adults. By 2021, [those numbers rose to] 14.6% of cisgender adults and 32.9% of transgender adults report[ing] frequent mental distress,” Feir noted.

The observed trend of rapidly increasing mental distress among TGNC adults indicates a potential worsening of socioeconomic and other disparities, as well as an increase in the barriers that prevent them from accessing the support services they need. This increase in mental distress within the TGNC population could also stem from factors such as societal discrimination or lack of access to gender-affirming and mental health care resources.

The alarming increase in the frequency of self-reported mental distress among transgender individuals suggests an urgent need to recalibrate country-wide initiatives supporting TGNC individuals across the U.S. Resource allocation that enhances access to gender-affirming and mental health services may also be a crucial step in mitigating disparities in mental health between TGNC and cisgender people.

Finally, policy changes that promote overall well-being and inclusivity for TGNC individuals may help improve mental health outcomes for this underserved community in the long run. “Policies are needed to address the worsening mental health of transgender and gender-nonconforming people in the United States,” Mann concluded.

in NEWS
Related Posts

Limited-Edition Soft Serve and New Brunch Menu Debut at Bar Coucou

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Lynee’s Sydney Carlson Launches Lemon Soft Serve Collab at Coucou A limited-edition soft serve collaboration is set to sweeten up...

UCLA Agrees to $6.1 Million Settlement Over Alleged Discrimination During Campus Protests

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

Faculty Group Argued Protest Wasn’t Antisemitic; Judge Approval Still Pending UCLA will pay more than $6 million to settle a...

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Los Angeles Coast After 8.7 Quake Near Russia

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Strong Currents, Surges Expected; Residents Urged to Avoid Beaches and Harbors Update from NWS Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. “Latest...

Brazen Wheel Thieves Hit Beverly Grove, Hollywood Neighborhoods

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Early-Morning Thefts Leave Cars on Blocks; Residents Coordinate  Los Angeles police are investigating a growing number of wheel thefts reported...

Adam Lambert Cast as Judas in Hollywood Bowl’s Star-Studded Jesus Christ Superstar

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Cynthia Erivo to Portray Jesus in a Bold New Staging of the Rock Opera Adam Lambert will take on the...

Second Grenade Still Missing After Blast That Killed Three LA Sheriff’s Detectives

July 29, 2025

July 29, 2025

Only One Grenade Exploded; The Second Device Has Vanished Authorities said Friday that one of two grenades recovered last week...

Tesla Diner Draws Protests as Musk Faces Backlash and Falling Sales

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Activists Target Musk’s Hollywood Diner, Speak of His Anti-Trans Views Demonstrators gathered outside Elon Musk’s newly opened Tesla Diner over...

Felony Charges Dropped for Man in UCLA Encampment Attack After Diversion Deal

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Malachi Marlan-Librett Must Complete Therapy, Anti-bias Training in Hate Crime Case The only person charged with a felony in connection...

Homecare Company Celebrates 14 years of Compassion While Planting New Roots After January Fire

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Luxe Homecare, a leading provider of compassionate and reliable in-home care services for seniors has recently announced the opening of...

Wallis Annenberg, Visionary Philanthropist and Civic Leader, Dies at 86

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Philanthropist Expanded Foundation’s Reach From Arts to Conservation Wallis Annenberg, a prominent philanthropist and longtime leader of the Annenberg Foundation,...

Award-Winning Beverly Hills Villa Lists for $39.9 Million in Celebrity-Filled Enclave

July 28, 2025

July 28, 2025

Limestone Showpiece Hits Market in the Flats, From Acclaimed Architect Tucked in the heart of Beverly Hills Flats, a limestone-clad...

More Than $50 Billion in Damage: What January’s Wildfire Cost the City of Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Nearly 11,000 Properties, Many in Pacific Palisades, Affected; True Losses Likely Higher Nearly $52 billion in residential real estate across...

(Video) A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

For More Information, Go to Aplustree.com A Plus Tree: A Steward of Urban Forest Management Across Los Angeles For More...

Gay Venezuelan Asylum Seeker Describes Abuse After U.S. Deportation to El Salvador’s Infamous Prison

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

Andry Hernández, Sent to CECOT Without Due Process, Tells of Sexual Assault and Torture After four months inside El Salvador’s...

The Third Place Reinvented: Why Kavahana Is Becoming LA’s New Favorite Hangout Spot

July 27, 2025

July 27, 2025

In a city full of coffee shops that close too early and bars that don’t cater to the sober (or...