Analysis of all gender dysphoria persons attending Sta Maria university hospital gender unit
The concept of gender dysphoria is a subject of intense controversy and debate.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess demographic and clinical characteristics, comorbid disorders and sexual behavior of 84 gender dysphoric (gender identity disorder) persons, diagnosed according to DSM-5 and divided into 54 female-to-male (FTM) and 30 male-tofemale (MTF).
Participants: Age of the patients ranged from 18 to 54 years, mean age 32.2 ± 3.3 years; for the 54 FTM: 18 to 53 years, mean age 33.7 ± 3.9 years and for the 30 MTF: 20 to 54 years, mean age 34.0 ± 2.0 years.
Methods: Semi-structured clinical interview and gender identity profile (Israel, 1997).
Results: 35.62% are MTF and 64.38% FTM. MTF are generally less sexually active than FTM, however MTF has a high % of subjects (58.0%) with early initiation of sexual activity (X = 12–14 years –even very early sex life by 9 years). There is also information of promiscuous sexual activity (14.0%) with multiple sexual partners (1–14 and 4/5 coitus per night). In MTF group, we found 20.0% of depression and 15.0% of anxiety disorders. Family difficulties and work problems were also more elevated in the MTF subgroup. Initial manifestations of this condition started early in 60.0% (mean age: 7.0 years) and in the remaining 40.0%, in late adolescence or beginning of adulthood (mean age: 18.0 years).
Discussion and conclusions: The purpose of this work was to evaluate, using a biopsychosocial approach, a group of gender dysphoric persons in distinct stages of the therapeutic process. Our data indicate that the FTM subgroup has a better overall psychosocial and sexual adjustment and social inclusion than MTF in all stages of the process, in spite of real surgical limitations that FTM persons still face. An extension of this series is desirable to obtain rates of prevalence and frequency with national representativeness and to better characterize this population.
