Introduction to Special Issue: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBTQ+ Health and Well-Being

ABSTRACT

This special issue on the impacts of COVID-19 on LGBTQ+ health and well-being reports findings from nine articles with varied study designs, including data from multiple countries and all segments of LGBTQ+ communities. Key findings included the observation that pre-COVID mental health disparities predispose LGBTQ+ people to poorer outcomes; that technological communication aids are essential in maintaining some sense of community; and that substance use is perceived by sexual minority women as a means of coping with fears, stress, loneliness, and boredom. Studies in this special issue also document that community support is still a critical need, particularly among those who are sheltering at home with families of origin. Findings underscore the importance of addressing structural inequities, including advocating for rights; providing financial support for LGBTQ+ community organizations and networks; ensuring access to competent and affirming healthcare; and including vulnerable communities in disaster response and planning.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 and LGBTQ+
• sexual minority
• gender minority
• transgender
• gender nonbinary
• health disparities

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the peer reviewers solicited specifically for this issue. They provided prompt and thorough reviews of the papers in spite of the stresses of the pandemic on academic researchers. Those reviewers include Swagata Banik, Tonda Hughes, Ellen Riggle, William Jesdale, Allen LeBlanc, Jane McElroy, Esther Rothblum, Jeremy Kidd, Cindy Veldhuis, Cat Munro, Carl J. Streed, Jr., Kimberly Balsam, Seth Pardo, and Jason Flatt.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.