There is a dearth of research, anthropological and otherwise, focused on the mental health needs of sexual and gender minorities in rural areas. The risk for mental illness is greater for such groups due to their repeated exposure to psychosocial stressors associated with discrimination, stigmatization, and violence. The consequences of such exposure may be exacerbated in rural areas, where mental health resources are typically insufficient for the general population. Ethnographic research can provide important insights into how sexual and gender minorities cope with mental health problems within rural settings where treatment options are limited. The methodological challenges of undertaking such research are substantial, and include lack of identification among potential participants with externally imposed social categories, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), and the problem of recruiting "hidden" populations to take part in studies on sensitive topics. When taking into account the geographical dispersion of LGBT people in rural areas, these challenges increase substantially.
Correction to: An Application of the Minority Stress Model in a Non-Western Context: Discrimination and Mental Health Among Sexual and Gender Minorities in Macedonia