Drivers of Mental Health Disparities for Diverse, Rural, LGBTQ+ Communities

Drivers of Mental Health Disparities for Diverse, Rural, LGBTQ+ CommunitiesThis webinar presented the goals and procedures of the Rural Engagement and Approaches For LGBTQ+ Mental Health (REALM) study, which is developing a longitudinal cohort of diverse LGBTQ+ adults residing in rural and small metropolitan communities across the United States. Employing a minority stress framework, REALM aims to determine the following: whether types of stigma, discrimination, and traumatic experiences vary across LGBTQ+ groups; how these exposures are associated with increased prevalence and incidence of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts; and if and how proximal minority stress-related factors mediate and/or moderate these associations. Further, building on these findings, REALM will compare the relative acceptability of various technology-delivered intervention components for depression and suicide prevention for diverse rural LGBTQ+ communities. Challenges with online recruitment and enrollment and creative solutions were shared, in addition to lessons learned in how to ensure participant safety. The webinar ended with a description of the cohort to date and shared preliminary baseline findings related to study aims.