Levels of depression in transgender people and its predictors: results of a large matched control study with transgender people accessing clinical services

Background: Depression is a serious disorder which significantly impacts wellbeing and quality of life. Studies exploring mental wellbeing in the transgender population are mostly limited by small, non-homogenous samples and lack of matched controls. This study aimed to address these limitations and explore depression rates in a large sample of transgender people, compared with matched controls from the general population, as well as factors predicting depression in those taking cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) compared to those not. Methods: Transgender individuals (n=913) completed a measure of depression, measures which predict psychopathology (self-esteem, victimization, social support, interpersonal problems), and information regarding CHT use. Participants were matched by age and experienced gender with adults from the general population who had completed the measure of depression. Results: Individuals were categorized as having no, possible or probable depressive disorder. Transgender individuals not on CHT had a nearly four-fold increased risk of probable depressive disorder, compared to controls. Older age, lower self-esteem, poorer interpersonal function and less social support predicted depressive disorder. Use of CHT was associated with less depression. Limitations: Participants were attending a national gender identity service and therefore represent only a sub-group of transgender people. Due to the cross-sectional design, longitudinal research is required to fully confirm the finding that CHT use reduces depression. Conclusion: This study confirms that non-treated transgender individuals have an increased risk of a depressive disorder. Interventions offered alongside gender affirming treatment to develop interpersonal skills, increase self-esteem and improve social support may reduce depression and prepare individuals for a more successful transition

Agrogeosystems of Krasnoyarsk Krai: Natural resource potential, environmental stability, optimization of functioning

Aim: The article presents the estimation of natural resource potential (NRP) of agrogeosystems of taiga-forest and forest-steppe zones, environmental stability and anthropogenic transformation to further optimization of their functioning. Methods: Agrogeosystems of the typical forest-steppe possess the greatest NRP; the ones of the south taigaforest zone have middle potential. Agrogeosystems of the open forest-steppe adjoining to a large megalopolis possesses low potential. The intensification of farming determines the degree of anthropogenic transformation of the territory. Agrogeosystems of the open and typical forest-steppe are environmentally unstable, but those of the south taiga-forest zone are stable, which is determined by a small fraction of plowland in the total structure of land resources and extensive territory of subtaiga, occupied by forests of natural origin and idle lands. Result and Discussion: The integral estimation of the whole set of climatic, soil, hydrological, geomorphological, and geological components allows to state the agrogeosystem of the typical foreststeppe has the largest NRP, the one of the taiga-forest zones possesses the middle NRP, and the agrogeosystem of the open forest-steppe, located near a large megalopolis, has the lower NRP. Conclusion: Long-term application of organic fertilizers on gray forest soils of subtaiga increases the humus content and base saturation reduces the acidity of the soil, provides a positive balance of elements of a mineral delivery, which causes an increased reproduction of fertility and stabilizes a high level of production processes in the agrolandscape