How gender-affirming hormone therapy affects pain in gender minority adults
Official title: The Impact of Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy on Pain in Gender Minority Adults
Funded at University of Kansas Medical Center · NIH-10996421 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how hormone therapy for transgender and non-binary adults might affect chronic pain, helping us understand if the hormones used can change pain experiences for those who take them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $654,475 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS135833-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10996421 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are gender minority adults aged 21 and older who are receiving or have received gender-affirming hormone therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not identify as gender minority or those who are not undergoing hormone therapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between gender-affirming hormone therapy (GHT) and chronic pain in gender minority adults, including transgender men, transgender women, and non-binary individuals. It aims to understand how masculinizing GHT, which involves testosterone, and feminizing GHT, which includes estrogen and progesterone, may influence the presence and severity of chronic pain syndromes. By analyzing data from this understudied population, the research seeks to identify potential differences in pain experiences related to hormone therapy. The study will utilize retrospective and cross-sectional analyses to gather insights into how these therapies impact pain management.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved pain management strategies for gender minority adults undergoing hormone therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have indicated a potential link between gender-affirming hormone therapy and chronic pain, but this research aims to provide more comprehensive insights into this relationship.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chadwick, Andrea Lynn — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chadwick, Andrea Lynn
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.