Rural LGBTQ Adults Are More Likely to Be Depressed, Anxious, Less Likely to Seek and Find Treatment

[Behind the Aegis]

Research: Rural LGBTQ Adults Are More Likely to Be Depressed, Anxious, Less Likely to Seek and Find Treatment

Lesbian, gay and bisexual rural adults, who are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety, report they have more challenges than their urban counterparts in accessing mental health care, a new study has found.

The report from the University of Minnesota’s Rural Health Research Center found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals are more likely to experience a mental health condition than their heterosexual counterparts. Looking at data from the 2019-2020 National Health Interview Survey, the researchers found that 38.6% of rural LGB adults reported a dual diagnosis of depression and anxiety disorders, compared to 11.4% of heterosexual rural adults, and 8.7% of urban heterosexual adults.

Rural LGBTQ adults were also less likely to report having a source of care and more likely to report not being able to afford medications to treat their mental illness. Nearly a third of rural LGBTQ adults diagnosed with depression or anxiety said they have gone without medications or delayed mental health care in the past year because of cost.

The group also reported other challenges to accessing care, including a lack of anonymity when seeking care, a shortage of available mental health professionals in their area, and a lack of transportation to mental health providers.

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