Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Perceptions of Health and Well-Being Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents and Emerging Adults

ObjectiveTo systematically review all published and unpublished evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of UK sexual and gender minority (LGBT+; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex and queer) people.MethodsAny relevant studies with or without comparator were included, with outcomes of: COVID-19 incidence, hospitalisation rates, illness severity, death rates, other health and well-being. Six databases (platforms) were searched—CINAHL Plus (Ovid), Cochrane Central (Cochrane Library), Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Science Citation Index (Web of Science) and Scopus between 2019 and 2020 in December 2020, using synonyms for sexual and gender minorities and COVID-19 search terms. Data extraction and quality assessment (using the relevant Joanna Briggs checklist) were in duplicate with differences resolved through discussion. Results were tabulated and synthesis was through narrative description.ResultsNo published research was found on any outcomes. Eleven grey literature reports found to be of low quality were included, mostly conducted by small LGBT+ charities. Only four had heterosexual/cisgender comparators. Mental health and well-being, health behaviours, safety, social connectedness and access to routine healthcare all showed poorer or worse outcomes than comparators.ConclusionsLack of research gives significant concern, given pre-existing health inequities. Social and structural factors may have contributed to poorer outcomes (mental health, well-being and access to healthcare). Paucity of evidence is driven by lack of routinely collected sexual orientation and gender identity data, possibly resulting from institutional homophobia/transphobia which needs to be addressed. Men are more at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 than women, so using data from trans women and men might have started to answer questions around whether higher rates were due to sex hormone or chromosomal effects. Routine data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity is required to examine the extent to which COVID-19 is widening pre-existing health inequalities.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020224304.

Download Full-text

Supplemental Material for Longitudinal Predictors of Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors in Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents

Journal of Abnormal Psychology ◽

10.1037/abn0000483.supp ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Behaviors ◽

And Gender

Download Full-text

Associations of Relationship Experiences, Dating Violence, Sexual Harassment, and Assault With Alcohol Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211001469 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110014

Author(s):

W. J. Kiekens ◽

L. Baams ◽

J. N. Fish ◽

R. J. Watson

Keyword(s):

Sexual Assault ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Sexual Harassment ◽

Dating Violence ◽

Heavy Episodic Drinking ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Relationship Experiences ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents report higher rates of dating violence victimization compared with their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Research on dating violence often neglects diversity in sexual and gender identities and is limited to experiences in relationships. Further, given that dating violence and alcohol use are comorbid, research on experiences of dating violence could provide insights into alcohol use disparities among SGM adolescents. We aimed to map patterns of relationship experiences, sexual and physical dating violence, and sexual and physical assault and explored differences in these experiences among SGM adolescents. Further, we examined how these patterns explained alcohol use. We used a U.S. non-probability national web-based survey administered to 13–17-year-old SGM adolescents ( N = 12,534). Using latent class analyses, four patterns were identified: low relationship experience, dating violence and harassment and assault (72.0%), intermediate dating experiences, sexual harassment, and assault and low levels of dating violence (13.1%), high dating experiences, dating violence, and sexual assault (8.6%), and high dating experiences, dating violence, and sexual harassment and assault (6.3%). Compared to lesbian and gay adolescents, bisexual adolescents reported more experiences with dating, dating violence, and sexual assault, whereas heterosexual adolescents reported fewer experiences with dating, dating violence, and sexual harassment and assault. Compared to cisgender boys, cisgender girls, transgender boys, and non-binary/assigned male at birth adolescents were more likely to experience dating violence inside and outside of relationship contexts. Experiences of dating, dating violence, and sexual harassment and assault were associated with both drinking frequency and heavy episodic drinking. Together, the findings emphasize the relevance of relationship experiences when studying dating violence and how dating violence and sexual harassment and assault might explain disparities in alcohol use.

Download Full-text

Illicit Drug Use and Social Victimization among Thai Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents

Substance Use & Misuse ◽

10.1080/10826084.2019.1638936 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (13) ◽

pp. 2198-2206

Author(s):

Thomas E. Guadamuz ◽

Doug H. Cheung ◽

Pimpawun Boonmongkon ◽

Timo T. Ojanen ◽

Thasaporn Damri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Illicit Drug Use ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

Social Victimization ◽

And Gender

Download Full-text

“I Won’t Out Myself Just to Do a Survey”: Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents’ Perspectives on the Risks and Benefits of Sex Research

Archives of Sexual Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10508-016-0784-5 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (5) ◽

pp. 1393-1409 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Kathryn Macapagal ◽

Ryan Coventry ◽

Miriam R. Arbeit ◽

Celia B. Fisher ◽

Brian Mustanski

Keyword(s):

Gender Minority ◽

Sex Research ◽

Risks And Benefits ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Download Full-text

The Association Between Daily Concealment and Affect Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Family and Peer Support

Journal of Adolescent Health ◽

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.11.019 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Wouter J. Kiekens ◽

Ethan H. Mereish

Keyword(s):

Peer Support ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender ◽

Moderating Role

Download Full-text

Victimization Typologies Among a Large National Sample of Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents

LGBT Health ◽

10.1089/lgbt.2021.0024 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jillian R. Scheer ◽

Katie M. Edwards ◽

Emily C. Helminen ◽

Ryan J. Watson

Keyword(s):

National Sample ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

Download Full-text

Trainings needs of allied health professionals caring for sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults with cancer: A qualitative analysis.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.e18532 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e18532-e18532

Author(s):

Ash B. Alpert ◽

Vikas Gampa ◽

Susan Thomas Vadaparampil ◽

Gwendolyn P. Quinn

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Allied Health ◽

Educational Interventions ◽

Adolescent And Young Adult ◽

Allied Health Professionals ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender

e18532 Background: Little is known about the training needs of allied health professionals who provide reproductive health counseling and other support services to sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescent and young adult (AYA) people with cancer. Methods: A 28-item electronic survey with 4 qualitative items was distributed to 601 allied health professionals who had participated in a training focused on reproductive health needs in AYA people with cancer. Open-ended questions invited respondents to describe personal experiences, reservations, and suggestions for improving SGM AYA cancer care. Using an interpretive description methodology, two investigators independently analyzed qualitative survey responses noting thematic saturation. Together, they refined themes, resolving disagreements with consensus. Interrater reliability was 88%. Results: 321 people participated in the survey and 190 answered open-ended questions. Themes included: 1) an ecosystem exists around patients’ interactions with clinicians and institutions; 2) institutional and individual assumptions result in stigmatization of SGM AYA people with cancer; 3) accommodating patients and providing clinicians with relevant education and experiences are initial steps to decrease stigma; and 4) improving the care for SGM AYA people with cancer may require transformative approaches that incorporate intersectional frameworks and challenge current systems. Conclusions: Improving the quality of care for SGM AYA people with cancer will require systemic and institutional change as well as educational interventions.

Download Full-text