Mental Health Morbidities and LGBT people in Ireland

Background Ireland has slowly made significant advancement in the civil and legal rights of its LGBTI citizens. Notwithstanding this, there are notable deficits in our knowledge surrounding the mental health and well-being of... [ view full abstract ]

Background
Ireland has slowly made significant advancement in the civil and legal rights of its LGBTI citizens. Notwithstanding this, there are notable deficits in our knowledge surrounding the mental health and well-being of LGBTI people in Ireland, and in particular the extent to which experiences and mental health outcomes are similar or different across all LGBTI people.
Aim To examine mental health and wellbeing(depression, anxiety, stress, substance misuse) among LGBTI people in Ireland
Methodology
A survey comprising 102 questions, which were a complementary mix of open and closed questions. The survey was disseminated primarily via social media and online methods, with hard copies made available on request to potential participants without internet access. Ethical approval to conduct the study was received from the University ethics committee. In total, 2,264 people were included in the final sample.
Findings
The findings suggest that a large proportion of LGBTI participants are experiencing positive well-being; however, across LGBTI groups between 12-35% of participants recorded scores indicating severe or extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress. On all scales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the youngest age group (14-18 years) had the highest mean scores, followed by the 19-25 year olds. Rates of severe or extremely severe depression, anxiety and stress for the adolescent cohort (14-18 year) was four times higher than the rates reported for the 12-19 year old cohort in the My World survey of Irish young people. Alongside differences in mental health difficulties according to age, participants’ DASS-scores were also mediated by LGBTI identity. Intersex had the highest mean scores for depression, anxiety and stress followed by transgender and bisexual participants.
Conclusion
Findings clearly indicate a need for on going support for young LGBTI people in Ireland, with specific emphasis on needs of those who identify as Intersex, transgender and bisexual.