A new analysis of 2022 U.S. Trans Survey (USTS) data from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that among respondents aged 16 and older, 39% reported serious suicide thoughts in the year prior to the survey, and 5% had attempted suicide. The 2022 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reports that 5% of adults in the U.S. general population have considered suicide, and 0.6% have attempted it.
The high prevalence of suicide thoughts and attempts among transgender people stems from elevated exposure to risk factors common in the general population, such as depression, substance misuse, poor health, and homelessness, as well as additional factors that uniquely affect transgender people — including exposure to violence and harassment, experiences with conversion therapy, and hostile policy environments.
For instance, 65% of those who have been physically attacked because they are transgender seriously considered suicide, and 20% attempted it — compared with 38% and 5% of those who did not experience physical violence.
“Negative experiences specific to transgender people add to the risk factors they already share with the general population,” said lead author Jody Herman, Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. “Suicide prevention efforts must target the social structures and institutions that stigmatize transgender people and contribute to the widespread discrimination and violence they face.”
Researchers used data from the 2022 USTS, a survey of more than 92,000 transgender people, to examine risk factors for suicide thoughts and attempts in the year prior to completing the survey. For the first time, researchers were able to analyze findings for those aged 16 to 17, as well as for adults.
Findings varied significantly by age. As in the general U.S. population, younger transgender respondents reported significantly higher rates of suicide thoughts and attempts in the past year than those in older age groups. More than half (58%) of USTS youth aged 16 to 17 reported suicide thoughts in the past year, compared with 14% of respondents aged 65 and older.
The most prominent risk factors for past-year suicide thoughts among youth include having ever run away from home because they were transgender, exposure to conversion therapy, rejection by a religious community, and physical attack because they are transgender.
Exposure to conversion therapy — whether from a mental health provider or religious counselor — resulted in a significantly higher prevalence of past-year suicide thoughts and attempts. Notably, 85% of those aged 16 to 17 who attended a conversion therapy program, such as a camp, reported past-year suicide thoughts. More than one-third (37%) of youth respondents who were exposed to conversion therapy for their sexual orientation reported past-year suicide attempts.
Among all ages, USTS respondents who needed gender-affirming care but had not received it, those who had incorrect identification documents, and those denied access to restrooms had a significantly higher prevalence of past-year suicide thoughts and attempts.
Where transgender people live can have a significant impact on suicidality. Respondents in states with positive public policy environments for transgender people and comprehensive non-discrimination statutes (36%) had a lower prevalence of suicide thoughts than those in states with negative public policies (42%).
“As states increasingly adopt laws that negatively target transgender people, reducing suicidality among transgender people becomes more challenging,” said study author Ayden Scheim, Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute. “More research is needed to provide a better understanding of the impacts of specific laws and policies on transgender people’s health and well-being.”