Sociodemographic profile associated with the suicidal ideation of transsexual people

Abstract

Transgender people experience extremely high rates of suicidal behavior. However, although suicidal ideation is considered an important precursor to suicide attempts, little attention has been paid to this problem and to the socio-demographic profile of this group. Thus, we propose to identify the prevalence of suicidal ideation in a sample of transsexual patients and to explore their sociodemographic profile. To this end, sociodemographic information was collected from 172 transsexuals (58.7% female transsexuals, 41.3% male transsexuals) between the ages of 18 and 61 who attended the Gender Identity Disorder Unit at the Carlos Haya Hospital Complex. The results revealed a 61% rate of suicidal ideation, and in 56.2% of cases, suicidal ideation acted as a precursor to suicide attempts. Patients with suicidal ideation appear to have an extensive mental health history, although fewer psychiatric admissions and less use of psychotropic drugs, but not cocaine and marijuana. In addition, loss of friends, removal from the home, non-suicidal self-harm and/or gender-based victimization were also identified as precursor factors. Thus, the need to develop prevention and intervention programmes that fit the characteristics of this group is evident.