Trans Health Research are currently running a research project to evaluate Thriving Transitions, a peer support program for trans people on a waitlist to start gender affirming hormone therapy.

Aims

The time between when a trans person decides that hormones are right for them and when they are actually able to access that healthcare is a significant risk period for mental ill-health, including suicidal ideation and depression. However, typically trans people on waitlists are not offered any support.

Trans researchers have worked with trans peer support group facilitators and trans people on hormone waitlists, to develop ‘Thriving Transitions’, a brand-new online peer support program for trans people on a waitlist for initiating hormones.

In this project, we will evaluate the Thriving Transitions online peer support program for reducing suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, and improving quality of life, among trans people on a waitlist for initiating hormones, compared to the standard care as usual (waitlist). 

If proven to be feasible, acceptable, and efficacious, Thriving Transitions may represent an easily scalable initiative to support trans people on gender affirming hormone waitlists across Australia.

Participants

This project is open to trans and gender diverse people (aged 18+) living in Victoria, who are currently on a waitlist to access gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Process and Duration

This study is a randomised controlled trial. That means, participants will be randomly allocated (like tossing a coin) to one of two groups - the intervention group or the control group.

If randomly allocated to the intervention group (the 'Thriving Transitions' trans peer support program), participants will attend seven, 1.5hr weekly peer support sessions delivered over seven weeks, with 8-10 other trans people on a waitlist, and two trans facilitators.

The sessions will be held 6pm - 7:30pm AEDT (Victorian time) each Wednesday from Wednesday 21 January 2026 to Wednesday 4 March 2026. These participants will also complete three, 20min health surveys; one before starting the program (baseline), one when they finish the program (7-weeks post-baseline), and one at three-months post-baseline. 

If randomly allocated to the control group, participants will receive standard care as usual (waitlist). These participants will also complete three, 20min health surveys; one at the beginning of the study (baseline) and two follow-up surveys at 7-weeks post-baseline and 3-months post-baseline, respectively.

Participants will receive a $25 Giftpay voucher for each of the three surveys they complete (i.e. $75 in vouchers if they complete all three surveys).

Join

Contact the Thriving Transitions team here: thriving-transitions@unimelb.edu.au

Funding and Ethics

The Thriving Transitions project is supported by a Suicide Prevention Australia Innovative Research Grant 2024-2026 and has ethics approval from Austin Health.