Personnes intersexes : une santé physique et mentale dégradée à l’âge adulte

AI Summary

High rates of poor physical and mental health: 47% report poor general health, 66% activity limitations, 62% psychological distress, 41% lifetime suicidal behaviour.
89% avoided healthcare in the past year, mainly due to fear of discrimination or violence, and reluctance to face physicians or hospital settings.
Medicalisation, associated violence, stigma, and socioeconomic disadvantage are key drivers of long-term health deterioration among intersex adults.

Sante Publique. 2026;38(2):53-63. doi: 10.3917/spub.262.0053.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This article focuses on the physical and mental health of intersex people in France. They often undergo medical interventions in childhood, presented as aiming to improve their well-being. However, few studies objectively assess the overall health of intersex people in adulthood.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This self-administered questionnaire survey aims to describe the health status of intersex people and to analyze the factors contributing to its deterioration, including those related to medicalization.

RESULTS: Analysis of the 155 eligible responses highlights poor physical and mental health outcomes. Forty-seven percent of the sample reported being in poor or very poor general health, and 66% reported limitations in daily activities. In addition, 62% of respondents were experiencing psychological distress at the time of the survey, with a high prevalence of suicidal behavior (41% over the lifetime). Overall, 89% of respondents reported having forgone healthcare during the previous year, for two main reasons: reluctance to confront a physician or attend a hospital setting, and fear of discrimination or violence. Respondents with lower levels of education, weaker attachment to employment, and lower incomes exhibited poorer health indicators.

CONCLUSIONS: The poor health of intersex people can be explained by the combined effects of medicalization and the violence associated with it, subsequent healthcare avoidance, and the stigma they experience.

PMID:42168105 | DOI:10.3917/spub.262.0053

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