M-health Apps and Physical and Mental Health Outcomes of Sexual Minorities

ABSTRACT

Given the assigned health inequalities faced by sexual minorities, it is fitting to assess whether m-health could be associated with better health-related outcomes for these sexual minorities. The present study examines associations between m-physical and m-mental health apps and sexual minorities’ physical and mental health status in Greece. The study utilized three waves of panel data collected in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The findings indicated associations between the use of m-physical and m-mental health apps and increased physical and mental health status for sexual minorities. The work concludes that m-health could enhance informational capabilities associated with increased levels of physical and mental health for sexual minorities. Indeed, the study found that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, sexual minorities experienced physical and mental health deteriorations. Interestingly, the estimates indicated that the association between the use of m-physical and m-mental health apps and increased mental health status for sexual minorities was stronger during the COVID-19 pandemic than before. The study suggests that tracking health-related information through m-health apps during periods of increased uncertainty could be associated with better health prevention and management. If m-health apps can alleviate adverse physical and mental health symptoms for sexual minorities, their potential should be considered.

KEYWORDS:

• M-health
• smartphone
• apps
• physical health
• mental health
• COVID-19
• sexual minorities

Acknowledgments

I thank the journal’s editor Dr John Elia and two anonymous reviewers for feedback on the manuscript. I appreciate the study participants. Members of the Centre for Pluralist Economics at Anglia Ruskin University and Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge have provided fruitful insights during the study design. I appreciate the knowledge transfer and assistance from the Pembroke College Circle at the University of Cambridge and Meander Research Hub.

Disclosure statement

The author has no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Code availability

The data appendix, codes and original software tables have been provided to the Journal during the initial submission and revisions. The codes that support the findings of this study are available on reasonable requests.

Ethical approval

The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

Availability of data and material

The data appendix, codes and original software estimates have been provided to the Journal during the initial submission and revisions. The data that support the findings of this study are available on reasonable requests.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. The participants have consented to the submission of the anonymized and aggregated data to the Journal.

Notes

1. In contrast, telemedicine is defined as the provision of medical services at a distance, through video imaging and telecommunication, by a physician (Weinstein et al., 2014). Telehealth is an umbrella term that covers telemedicine and a variety of nonphysician services, including telenursing and telepharmacy (Weinstein et al., 2014).

2. In March 2020, all residents in Greece were asked to limit non-essential movement. Starting from May 2020, Greece began to gradually lift restrictions on movement and to restart business activity. However, in November 2020, the country put in place new measures and restrictions on movement and business activity.

3. The estimates indicate that higher education and employment are associated with better health, suggesting that status characteristics should be linked to higher income and well-being. Relevant patterns, in relation to income and physical and mental health, are observed in the international literature (Drydakis, 2021e, 2015b; Kawachi & Beckman, 2000). Moreover, the estimates indicate that men and cis-gender people experience better physical health than do women and trans-gender people, similar to reports in the international literature (Drydakis, 2021d). Physical and mental health inequalities might be explained by factors such as higher unemployment, poverty, debt, and sex discrimination (Drydakis, 2015b, 2016a; 2021a).

Additional information

Funding

The author did not receive support from any organisation for the submitted work.