Mental health in the Chilean LGBT population in times of COVID-19

• Published in: Salud mental (México) Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 169 - 176
• Main Authors: Ulloa, Francisco, Urzua, Alfonso, Barrientos, Jaime, Guzman-Gonzalez, Monica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria 01.07.2022; Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz
• Subjects: Psychiatry; COVID-19; anxiety; stress; minorías sexuales; estrés; ansiedad; mental health; depresión; salud mental; depression; sexual minorities; LGBT
• ISSN: 0185-3325
• DOI: 10.17711/SM.0185-3325.2022.023

Introduction. There are few reports on mental health among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population in the context of COVID-19, especially in South America. Objective. To describe the prevalence of symptoms associated with mental health disorders, as well as to analyze the risk of their occurrence, in different groups of the Chilean LGBT population in the context of COVID-19. Method. A total of 1,181 LGBT people, ranged from 18 to 64 years participated in an online survey, using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-DASS-21. The central tendency measures were analyzed, then cut-off points were used to establish prevalence according to sex and sexual orientation. Finally, the probability of symptoms was analyzed using odds ratio. Results. Lower levels of mental health were identified among the bisexual and other sexual orientations (pansexual, demisexual, asexual, etc.) population as compared with gays and lesbians, finding a greater presence of depressive symptoms (p = .000), anxious (p = .000) and related to stress (p < .001). Similarly, bisexual women are more likely to present symptoms associated with mental health disorders than men, as lesbians do, as compared with gays in the case of anxiety. Gays are at a higher risk of stress than lesbians. Discussion and conclusion. Even though the pandemic affected the entire population, results give evidence of disparities among the various LGBT communities, showing the need to focus on preventive interventions and the implications of increased risk in bisexual population, particularly women, who are affected by various cross discriminations. Keywords: COVID-19, depression, anxiety, sexual minorities, mental health, LGBT, stress. Introduccion. Existen pocos reportes sobre la salud mental en poblaciones de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transexuales (LGBT) en el contexto del COVID-19, especialmente en Sudamerica. Objetivo. Describir la prevalencia de sintomas asociados a problemas de salud mental, asi como analizar su riesgo de ocurrencia en differentes grupos de poblacion LGBT chilena en el contexto de la pandemia del COVID-19. Metodo. Participaron en una encuesta en linea un total de 1,181 personas LGBT, con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 64 anos, quienes completaron el cuestionario DASS-21 (del ingles Depression Anxiety Stress Scales). Primero se analizaron las medidas de tendencia central, luego se establecio la prevalencia segun sexo y orientacion sexual y finalmente se analizo la probabilidad de presentar sintomas mediante el odss ratio. Resultados. Se identificaron menores niveles de salud mental en la poblacion bisexual y otras orientaciones sexuales (pansexual, demisexual, asexual, etc.), en comparacion con gays y lesbianas, debido a una mayor presencia de sintomatologia depresiva (p = .000), ansiosa (p = .000) y vinculada al estres (p < .001). Asimismo, las mujeres bisexuales fueron mas propensas que los hombres a presentar sintomas asociados a trastornos de salud mental, al igual que las lesbianas, en comparacion con los gays en el caso de la ansiedad. Los gays tienen un mayor riesgo de estres que las lesbianas. Discusion y conclusion. Aun cuando la pandemia afecto a toda la poblacion, los resultados evidencian las disparidades entre las distintas comunidades LGBT, mostrando la necesidad de centrarse en las intervenciones preventivas y las implicaciones de un mayor riesgo en la poblacion bisexual, especialmente en las mujeres, que se ven afectadas por diversas discriminaciones cruzadas. Palabras clave: COVID-19, depresion, ansiedad, minorias sexuales, salud mental, LGBT, estres.