An investigation of self-medication among gender-diverse individuals: comparison between a clinical sample and a survey sample

The extent to which Danish gender diverse individuals (GDI) self-medicate was unknown, so we have investigated the prevalence of the phenomenon in a clinical sample and a survey sample. Our objective was, moreover, to examine possible significant differences between the subgroup of GDI that seek assessment and gender-affirming treatment, and the general population of GDI, of whom some might seek treatment, and some might not. Data regarding the clinical sample (CS) were collected from records of all the GDI treated at our clinic in 2017. The survey sample (SS) comprised the GDI who answered the questions about self-medication in a larger group of respondents to an internet-based survey carried out in 2019. Our CS included data collected from 115 individuals, while the number of individuals in the SS was 171. The rates of self-medication were 19.1% in the CS and 22.2% in the SS, with no statistically significant difference found. Among individuals who self-medicated, there was a majority of assigned male at birth (AMAB) in both samples (72.7% in CS v. 92.1% in SS). No statistically significant differences were found in self-medication stratified by assigned sex at birth. There was a statistically significant difference concerning the source of self-medication. 9.5% in the CS v. 76.3% in the SS procured self-medication from the internet. Other common sources were foreign clinics, another GDI and the pharmacy. Within the SS, 18.9% of those who self-medicated hadn´t gotten assessment for Gender Incongruence or any previously used diagnostic category. Only 3.8% of those who didn´t self-medicate hadn´t gotten the assessment either. This difference was statistically relevant. Around 93% of both subgroups reported to have completed the diagnostic assessment. While there are very few differences between the two samples, around a fifth of the GDI included have self-medicated. Overall, self-medication reflects an unmet need in the healthcare system. None