Temporal trends in gender-affirming hormone therapy initiation: evidence from whole-of-population Australian administrative data

Abstract

Using longitudinal national prescribing data, we estimated the number of transgender and gender-diverse individuals initiating gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) from 2013 to 2024 in Australia. Between 2013 and 2024, 11 883 individuals initiated testosterone-based GAHT and 20 358 initiated oestrogen-based GAHT. Initiation rose from 1118 in 2013 to 5135 in 2024, with a growing share accessing testosterone-based GAHT over time. The mean age at initiation also fell from 50 years in 2013 to 26 years in 2024. Our findings align with international trends, suggesting increasing demand among younger populations. This highlights the need for specialised, accessible gender-affirming care in Austr..