TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Mental health of transgender veterans in US states with and without discrimination and hate crime legal protection JO - American journal of public health A1 - Blosnich, John R. A1 - Marsiglio, Mary C. A1 - Gao, Shasha A1 - Gordon, Adam J. A1 - Shipherd, Jillian C. A1 - Kauth, Michael A1 - Brown, George R. A1 - Fine, Michael J. SP - 534 EP - 540 VL - 106 IS - 3 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To examine whether indicators of community- and state-level lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality are associated with transgender veterans' mental health.

METHODS: We extracted Veterans Administration data for patients who were diagnosed with gender identity disorder, had at least 1 visit in 2013, and lived in a zip code with a Municipality Equality Index score (n = 1640). We examined the associations of whether a state included transgender status in employment nondiscrimination laws and in hate crimes laws with mood disorders; alcohol, illicit drug, and tobacco use disorders; posttraumatic stress disorder; and suicidal ideation or attempt.

RESULTS: Nearly half (47.3%) of the sample lived in states with employment discrimination protection, and 44.8% lived in states with hate crimes protection. Employment nondiscrimination protection was associated with 26% decreased odds of mood disorders (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.59, 0.93) and 43% decreased odds of self-directed violence (AOR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.34, 0.95).

CONCLUSIONS: Understanding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social stressors can inform treatment and care coordination for transgender populations. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print January 21, 2016: e1-e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302981).

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0090-0036 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302981 ID - ref1 ER -