Publication Date
1-1-2023
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Psychology and Sexuality
DOI
10.1080/19419899.2023.2207182
Abstract
In partnership with community stakeholders, the present study aimed to gather descriptive data on pandemic-related stress and its association with mental health outcomes among a community sample of self-identified sexual minority women (SMW) in Los Angeles County (N = 84; Mage = 35.61). The sample was comprised solely of women (i.e. self-identified gender identity as woman, including cisgender and transgender women). Data were collected in April 2021, the ‘third wave’ of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Los Angeles experienced some of the highest COVID-19 incidence rates in the United States. Yet, there was a significant lack of COVID-19 data on SMW, thus making it difficult to address the specific needs of this community. Background data were collected on pre-existing health conditions and COVID-19 infection history. Data were specific to COVID-19 stressors in the areas of mental health, financial strain, social isolation and health and discrimination concerns. Findings revealed that mental health concern was strongly associated with financial strain (r =.63, p < .01), social isolation (r =.62, p < .01) and health and discrimination concerns (r =.63, p < .01), thus demonstrating the wide-ranging negative impact of pandemic stressors on the mental health of SMW in Los Angeles during the third wave of COVID-19. Recommendations for future research, practice and policy implications are discussed.
Keywords
COVID-19, health discrimination, pandemic stress, sexual minority women, social isolation
Department
Social Work
Recommended Citation
Alison Cerezo, Roberta E. Emetu, David B. Rivera, Isaiah J. Jones, Jacquelyn Chin, Adrian Valadez, and Laurie Drabble. "Examining pandemic stress and mental health among a community-based sample of sexual minority women in Los Angeles County" Psychology and Sexuality (2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2023.2207182
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Psychology & Sexuality on April 26, 2023, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2023.2207182.