Mental Health, Substance Use and Difficulty Accessing Healthcare Among Sexual Gender Minorities During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: Cross-Sectional Online Survey Results from April-May and August-September of 2020 (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the availability of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data, providing an opportunity to examine the health of sexual and gender minorities (SGM). This study aims to assess the mental health status, substance use, and difficulty accessing healthcare during the pandemic. Online surveys were conducted in April-May (n=2102) and August-September of 2020 (n=2182), with most participants identifying as cisgender men (80.2%), gay (70.0%), and White (55.5%). Overall, participants reported household loss in pay/unemployment (62.2%), increased public aid assistance usage (29.2%), multiple mental health symptoms (m=2.2, sd=1.5), and challenges accessing HIV/STI testing (21.1%). In August-September, participants reported challenges accessing mental healthcare (29.1%), HIV/STI testing (17.9%), PrEP use (29.8%), and accessing gender-affirming care (32.8%). We recommend surveillance and research continue to integrate SOGI measures to monitor the health status of SGM in the US and, in particular, the interactions between age, gender, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/30761