Paper details
| Paper authors | Leo Goldsmith, Jiyoung Son |
| In panel on | Sexual and gender minorities, humanitarian action and the Triple Nexus |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
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Abstract
LGBTQ+ communities have been found to be disproportionately displaced by disasters, yet there is no research on differential mental health outcomes compared to non-LGBTQ+ communities. The United States’ Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey (HPS) is the first population-based survey to collect national-level data at multiple scales on disaster experiences and LGBTQ+ demographic data. Using the HPS from January – July 2024, I assess mental health outcomes in displaced LGBTQ+ communities compared to non-LGBTQ+ communities up to one month after a disaster. Using logistic regressions, I found that LGBTQ+ status is the largest indicator of high mental health burden compared to race, income, and disability. LGBTQ+ communities have a 3.08 times higher odds of high mental health burden compared to the non-LGBTQ+ communities. These results are driven by transgender community members who have 22.49 times the odd of high mental health burden. In addition, LGBTQ+ people with intersecting marginalized identities (e.g., race, income, and disability) have higher odds of high mental health burden after disaster displacement compared to those with none or only one marginalized identity. These findings indicate a need to co-produce disaster and health policies, services, and guidance with LGBTQ+ people, especially people with intersecting marginalized identities. This will require capacity building, funding, cultural competency, and providing full legal rights and protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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