Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42658622›Full record

ArticleThe American psychologist2026

The trans care paradox: Mental health disparities among transgender and nonbinary patients in a trans-protective environment.

Aaron S Breslow, Gray Babbs, Elizabeth Cavic, Iby Thomas, Ana M Progovac, Arjee Restar, Ginette M Sims, David G Zelaya, David B Hanna, Debjyoti Datta and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The American psychologist, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Aaron S BreslowDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein Center for Health Equity, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.ORCID 0000-0003-2894-7485
Gray BabbsDepartment of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health.
Elizabeth CavicDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein Center for Health Equity, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Iby ThomasDepartment of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Ana M ProgovacDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University.
Arjee RestarDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington.
Ginette M SimsDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein Center for Health Equity, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
David G ZelayaDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health.
David B HannaDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Debjyoti DattaDivision of General Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Renée ReopellGender Diversity and Resilience Program, The Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut.
Sarit GolubDepartment of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York.
Jonathan AlpertDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein Center for Health Equity, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Benjamin Lê CookDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry Research Institute at Montefiore Einstein Center for Health Equity, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
J Garrett-WalkerDepartment of Psychology, San Francisco University.

Funding

Patient and Population Health Outcomes Research SWGP30AI124414 · NIAID · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, INC · PI Vilma Gabbay · 2017 to 2026
$28.3M
Stakeholder Engagement Studio CoreU2CDK137135 · NIDDK · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI ARLEEN F. BROWN, Earle C Chambers · 2023 to 2026
$13.4M
Mapping Interventions to Reduce Mental Health Services Disparities among Transgender and Nonbinary AdultsK23MH128582 · NIMH · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI BRESLOW, AARON S · 2022 to 2025
$634k
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseaseNational Institutes of Health; National Institute of Mental HealthNIAID NIH HHS P30 AI124414NIDDK NIH HHS U2C DK137135NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH128582
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study examines mental health disparities among transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive (hereinafter "trans") patients within a large urban health care system in the Bronx, New York-a relatively trans-protective legislative environment-amid escalating federal anti-trans legislation. Using electronic health record data (2015-2023) from a large safety-net health care system, we conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing mental health outcomes and services among trans (n = 2,898) and cisgender (n = 29,818) adult patients. We applied the Institute of Medicine rank-and-replace method to isolate disparities attributable to systemic inequities independent of clinical need. Despite greater engagement, trans patients faced disproportionately poor outcomes. Trans patients had more than twice the prevalence of mental health concerns compared with cisgender patients (all ps < .001), including higher rates of mood disorders (10.9% vs. 2.6%) and anxiety disorders (9.7% vs. 3.1%). Trans patients had higher predicted means of primary care utilization (40.92% vs. 38.45%, disparity: 2.48 percentage points, p < .001), minimally recommended mental health treatment (21.18% vs. 19.44%, disparity: 1.74 percentage points, p < .001), suicide-related visits (2.3% vs. 1.2%, disparity: 1.1 percentage points, p < .001), emergency department mental health visits (8.6% vs. 6.4%, disparity: 2.2 percentage points, p < .001), and inpatient mental health stays (0.13 vs. 0.09 stays per year, p < .001). Intersectional analyses revealed compounded disparities for Black and Hispanic patients. These findings highlight a persistent "care paradox," wherein greater health care utilization fails to mitigate adverse outcomes. Results underscore the need for integrated, trans-affirming interventions at the health care system level, broader structural reforms, and community-driven efforts to bolster trans mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Indexed as

Healthcare DisparitiesHealth Status DisparitiesMental DisordersTransgender PersonsAdultFemaleGender-Nonconforming PersonsHumansMaleMental Health ServicesMiddle AgedNew York CityRetrospective StudiesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID42658622
PMCPMC13523027

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.