Prevalence and Comorbidity of Gender Dysphoria in Taiwan, 2010–2019

Abstract

Gender dysphoria (GD) is a condition in which a person exhibits marked incongruence between their expressed or experienced gender and their sex assigned at birth. The last survey of individuals with GD in Taiwan was conducted approximately 10 years ago. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of GD in Taiwan within the last 10 years as well as comorbidities. A retrospective medical record review was performed for all patients in the database of the Health and Welfare Data Science Center covered by National Health Insurance in Taiwan from January 2010 until December 2019. The study population of persons with GD was defined as individuals who had been diagnosed with transsexualism (transgender or transsexual) or gender identity disorders. Our review found case numbers and prevalence of GD in 2019 were about twice that of patients in 2010 for both assigned males and assigned females at birth. Case numbers for 2010 versus 2019 were 440 versus 867 for assigned males at birth, and 189 versus 386 for assigned females at birth. The 1-year prevalence for 2010 versus 2019 was 3.8/100,000 versus 7.4/100,000 for assigned males at birth, and 1.6/100,000 versus 3.2/100,000 for assigned females at birth. Comorbidities of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and psychosis were more likely in children with GD younger than 12 years of age; comorbid depression was more likely in adolescents and adults with GD. Improvements in social and mental health support should be provided to help address these comorbidities of ADHD, ASD, and depression among individuals with GD.