TY - JOUR
T1 - Time trends in referrals to child and adolescent gender identity services
T2 - a study in four Nordic countries and in the UK
AU - Kaltiala, Riittakerttu
AU - Bergman, Hannah
AU - Carmichael, Polly
AU - de Graaf, Nastasja M.
AU - Egebjerg Rischel, Karen
AU - Frisén, Louise
AU - Schorkopf, Martina
AU - Suomalainen, Laura
AU - Waehre, Anne
PY - 2020/1/2
Y1 - 2020/1/2
N2 - Purpose: To explore whether the increase observed in referrals to child and adolescent gender identity services (GIDSs) has been similar in four Nordic countries and in the UK. Materials and methods: Numbers of referrals per year in 2011–2017 were obtained from all GIDS in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the UK and related to population aged <18. Results: A similar pattern of increase in referral rates was observed across countries, resulting in comparable population adjusted rates in 2017. In children, male:female birth sex ratio was even; in adolescents, a preponderance of females (birth sex) was observed, particularly in Finland. Conclusions: The demand for GIDSs has evolved similarly across Nordic countries and the UK. The reasons for the increase are not known but increased awareness of gender identity issues, service availability, destigmatization as well as social and media influences may play a role.
AB - Purpose: To explore whether the increase observed in referrals to child and adolescent gender identity services (GIDSs) has been similar in four Nordic countries and in the UK. Materials and methods: Numbers of referrals per year in 2011–2017 were obtained from all GIDS in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the UK and related to population aged <18. Results: A similar pattern of increase in referral rates was observed across countries, resulting in comparable population adjusted rates in 2017. In children, male:female birth sex ratio was even; in adolescents, a preponderance of females (birth sex) was observed, particularly in Finland. Conclusions: The demand for GIDSs has evolved similarly across Nordic countries and the UK. The reasons for the increase are not known but increased awareness of gender identity issues, service availability, destigmatization as well as social and media influences may play a role.
KW - children and adolescents
KW - Gender identity
KW - referral rates
KW - time trends
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85073941092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/08039488.2019.1667429
DO - 10.1080/08039488.2019.1667429
M3 - Article
C2 - 31556776
AN - SCOPUS:85073941092
VL - 74
SP - 40
EP - 44
JO - Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
JF - Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
SN - 0803-9488
IS - 1
ER -