Trans teens who receive hormone therapy are less likely to run away from home

It's just the latest study to show the positive impact of gender-affirming care on trans youth.

Transgender teens who received hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are less likely to run away from home, according to a new study.

Researchers at Southern Oregon University and Rutgers University examined data from about 1,101 respondents to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey who began receiving HRT between the ages of 14 and 18. The survey asked respondents whether they had ever received HRT and whether they had run away from home because of their trans identity. The survey asked respondents who answered yes to either question their ages when both incidents occurred.

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Researchers then compared the answers of those who received HRT between ages 14 and 17 to those who received HRT at age 18.

“The average association between [HRT] and the risk of running away is a decrease of 2 percentage points, which constitutes a 20% decrease relative to the baseline rate
of running away,” researchers wrote.

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They also found that the earlier a teen began receiving HRT, the less likely they were to run away from home. They acknowledged that their findings have limitations because of the relatively small sample size, yet added, “We believe that the event study estimates provide compelling evidence of the beneficial effects of [HRT].”

Researchers said their study comes at a time when legislators are increasingly restricting access to HRT and gender-affirming care.

“Policymakers and healthcare professionals need to recognize that such restrictions can elevate the risk of running away and substantially undermine the mental health and overall well-being of transgender adolescents,” the study’s authors wrote.

This study is just the latest to show the positive impact of HRT and gender-affirming care on trans youth.

A 2026 study found that trans youth who get HRT are less suicidal. A 2025 study found that gender-affirming medical care has positive effects on the mental health and psychosocial functioning of trans youth. A 2024 study found that 97% of trans youth didn’t regret transitioning, even a decade after receiving such care, and another study that same year found that only 1% of trans teens detransition. A 2023 study also found that HRT improves mental health for trans youth.

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