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AI Summary of Peer-Reviewed Research

This page presents an AI-generated summary of a published research paper. The original authors did not write or review this article. [See full disclosure ↓]

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Mental healthcare use declined after hormone therapy initiation

A man in a light blue shirt with an ID badge sits across from a woman in a mauve/pink top wearing glasses at a wooden desk in a modern office setting, appearing to have a professional consultation or discussion.
Research area:MedicineSex and Gender in HealthcareMental Health Treatment and Access

What the study found

Mental healthcare use increased around the time transgender and gender diverse people started gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT, hormone treatment given to support a person’s gender). It then declined substantially over time, with patterns differing between oestradiol-based GAHT (e-GAHT) and testosterone-based GAHT (t-GAHT).

Why the authors say this matters

The authors conclude that the pattern is consistent with the assessment and support requirements around GAHT initiation. They suggest GAHT may help address unmet mental health needs and may contribute to longer-term reductions in mental healthcare use and associated costs among trans people.

What the researchers tested

The researchers used Australian whole-of-population administrative data from 2012 to 2024 to identify trans people starting e-GAHT or t-GAHT. They used a dynamic difference-in-differences model, which compares changes within individuals over time, using future GAHT recipients as controls.

What worked and what didn't

Among 20,358 e-GAHT recipients and 11,883 t-GAHT recipients, mental healthcare use rose at initiation and then fell sharply. Five years after initiation, e-GAHT recipients used 0.29 fewer mental health services and 0.53 fewer mental health prescriptions, while t-GAHT recipients used 2.59 fewer mental health services and 1.02 fewer prescriptions.

What to keep in mind

The abstract reports that e-GAHT recipients had lower mental healthcare engagement before initiation than t-GAHT recipients. Reductions were more pronounced for people with higher baseline mental healthcare use and for older e-GAHT recipients, and the abstract does not describe other limitations.

Key points

  • Mental healthcare use rose around GAHT initiation and then declined over time.
  • Five years after initiation, both e-GAHT and t-GAHT recipients used fewer mental health services and prescriptions.
  • The initial rise in mental healthcare use was larger for e-GAHT recipients.
  • Reductions were more pronounced for people with higher baseline mental healthcare engagement.
  • Older e-GAHT recipients showed greater reductions in mental healthcare use.

Disclosure

Research title:
Mental healthcare use declined after hormone therapy initiation
Authors:
Karinna Saxby, Tom Buchmueller, Christopher S. Carpenter, Clue Coman, Brendan J. Nolan
Institutions:
The University of Melbourne, Monash University, Ross School, Vanderbilt University, UNSW Sydney, Austin Health
Publication date:
2026-02-01
DOI:
10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103765
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by OpenAI. The original authors did not write or review this post.

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