Academic Activities
ABOUT
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
KITE’s First Research Result, “Gender-Affirming Surgery Has a Positive Impact of Approximately 90% on Quality of Life an…
페이지 정보
작성일Date 2026-09-18
본문
Gender-Affirming Surgery Improves Quality of Life and Mental Health by More Than 90%
KITE research team announces the results of a satisfaction survey of 382 transgender people in Korea
“Quality of life improved for 91%, self-esteem for 90%, and mental health for 89%… Improved access to healthcare is needed”
The Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital LGBTQ+ Center has announced the results of an analysis of satisfaction among transgender and gender-diverse people (TGD) in Korea who underwent gender-affirming surgery (GAS).
According to the study, after surgery, a majority of respondents reported positive changes in quality of life (91%), self-esteem (90%), and mental health (89%), among other areas.
KITE: Korea’s First Multicenter Study of Gender-Affirming Healthcare
The survey was conducted as part of the KITE (Korean Initiative for Transgender hEalth) study, jointly led by Professor Sun Young Lee of the Public Healthcare Center at Seoul National University Hospital and Professor Kyul Hee Kim of Plastic Surgery at the Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital LGBTQ+ Center.
It analyzed data from 382 people who received gender-affirming care (GAC) at eight medical institutions in Korea between January and October 2024.
KITE is Korea’s first large-scale, medical institution-based cohort study to track the health status and healthcare experiences of transgender and gender-diverse people. It is becoming an important foundation for qualitative advances in healthcare for sexual minorities in Korea.
High Satisfaction with Gonadectomy and Chest/Breast Surgery… Improved Gender Expression and Quality of Life
The study found that the procedures most frequently received were mastectomy (99.5%) and hysterectomy (73.7%) among trans men, and orchiectomy (80.7%) and vulvoplasty (63.6%) among trans women.
Satisfaction rates were 85.1% for gonadectomy, 77.8% for chest/breast surgery, 62.4% for genital reconstruction surgery, and 56.6% for voice feminization surgery.
Regarding changes after surgery, respondents reported:
“My gender expression improved” (94.2%),
“My quality of life improved” (91.0%),
“My self-esteem increased” (90.2%),
“My mental health improved” (88.9%), and
“My sense of gender congruence improved” (88.4%).
“Institutional Support Is Needed to Improve the Right to Health”
Principal investigator Professor Kyul Hee Kim said, “This is the first multicenter study in Korea to analyze real-world data on the experiences of people who received gender-affirming healthcare.”
She emphasized, “Given the high level of satisfaction and improved quality of life confirmed after surgery, better access to healthcare and policy support are urgently needed to protect the right to health of transgender and gender-diverse people.”
The study was published in the latest issue of the international academic journal Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery (JPRAS) under the title “Gender-affirming surgeries and patient-reported outcomes in South Korea: A multicenter cohort survey.”
About the KITE Study
KITE (Korean Initiative for Transgender hEalth) is a study of gender-affirming healthcare and longitudinal health monitoring involving eight medical institutions in Korea, including the Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital LGBTQ+ Center.
The KITE research team aims to establish a health-data foundation for gender-diverse populations and to improve the healthcare environment and make policy recommendations based on scientific evidence.
KITE research team announces the results of a satisfaction survey of 382 transgender people in Korea
“Quality of life improved for 91%, self-esteem for 90%, and mental health for 89%… Improved access to healthcare is needed”
The Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital LGBTQ+ Center has announced the results of an analysis of satisfaction among transgender and gender-diverse people (TGD) in Korea who underwent gender-affirming surgery (GAS).
According to the study, after surgery, a majority of respondents reported positive changes in quality of life (91%), self-esteem (90%), and mental health (89%), among other areas.
KITE: Korea’s First Multicenter Study of Gender-Affirming Healthcare
The survey was conducted as part of the KITE (Korean Initiative for Transgender hEalth) study, jointly led by Professor Sun Young Lee of the Public Healthcare Center at Seoul National University Hospital and Professor Kyul Hee Kim of Plastic Surgery at the Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital LGBTQ+ Center.
It analyzed data from 382 people who received gender-affirming care (GAC) at eight medical institutions in Korea between January and October 2024.
KITE is Korea’s first large-scale, medical institution-based cohort study to track the health status and healthcare experiences of transgender and gender-diverse people. It is becoming an important foundation for qualitative advances in healthcare for sexual minorities in Korea.
High Satisfaction with Gonadectomy and Chest/Breast Surgery… Improved Gender Expression and Quality of Life
The study found that the procedures most frequently received were mastectomy (99.5%) and hysterectomy (73.7%) among trans men, and orchiectomy (80.7%) and vulvoplasty (63.6%) among trans women.
Satisfaction rates were 85.1% for gonadectomy, 77.8% for chest/breast surgery, 62.4% for genital reconstruction surgery, and 56.6% for voice feminization surgery.
Regarding changes after surgery, respondents reported:
“My gender expression improved” (94.2%),
“My quality of life improved” (91.0%),
“My self-esteem increased” (90.2%),
“My mental health improved” (88.9%), and
“My sense of gender congruence improved” (88.4%).
“Institutional Support Is Needed to Improve the Right to Health”
Principal investigator Professor Kyul Hee Kim said, “This is the first multicenter study in Korea to analyze real-world data on the experiences of people who received gender-affirming healthcare.”
She emphasized, “Given the high level of satisfaction and improved quality of life confirmed after surgery, better access to healthcare and policy support are urgently needed to protect the right to health of transgender and gender-diverse people.”
The study was published in the latest issue of the international academic journal Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery (JPRAS) under the title “Gender-affirming surgeries and patient-reported outcomes in South Korea: A multicenter cohort survey.”
About the KITE Study
KITE (Korean Initiative for Transgender hEalth) is a study of gender-affirming healthcare and longitudinal health monitoring involving eight medical institutions in Korea, including the Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital LGBTQ+ Center.
The KITE research team aims to establish a health-data foundation for gender-diverse populations and to improve the healthcare environment and make policy recommendations based on scientific evidence.
