Study Reveals Low Rates of Gender-Affirming Medications Among U.S. Adolescents
A new study shows fewer than 1 in 1,000 U.S. adolescents receive gender-affirming treatments, challenging prevalent political narratives.
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Summary
A recent JAMA Pediatrics study found that fewer than 0.1% of U.S. adolescents with commercial insurance received gender-affirming medications from 2018 to 2022. Analyzing data from over 5 million patients, the study revealed only 926 adolescents were prescribed puberty blockers, and 1,927 received hormones, primarily among assigned female at birth youth. The findings challenge often exaggerated claims about transgender youth healthcare amidst ongoing legal debates and state-level bans. Major medical organizations endorse these treatments as necessary, but access remains limited, prompting calls for a more accurate public understanding of gender-affirming care.
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Fewer than 1 in 1,000 U.S. adolescents with commercial insurance received gender-affirming medications, indicating that concerns about extensive use are overstated.
At least 26 states have enacted laws restricting gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, reflecting a growing trend among lawmakers to legislate on this issue.
The study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that healthcare practitioners are exercising caution when prescribing treatments to adolescents, especially by not prescribing hormones to those under 12.
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