3.111 Psychiatric Impacts of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic on US Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Young Adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of people worldwide, causing unprecedented isolation and mental health affects; however, few studies have characterized this in sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people, a particularly vulnerable population given their well-documented socioeconomic and mental health disparities. This cross-sectional study sought to analyze the mental health outcomes of SGM young people (18-30 years old) during the early stages (“Wave 1”) of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (April 13 to June 18, 2020) and to explore how factors related to SGM identity impact mental health, such as lifetime discrimination, family support, and pre-existing mental health conditions. We launched the COVID-19 Adult Resilience Experiences Study (CARES 2020). Distributed nationally, this online survey collected sociodemographic information (including gender identity and sexual orientation) and assessed for both mental health (depression [Patient Health Questionnaire-8, PHQ-8], anxiety [Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, GAD-7], PTSD [PTSD Checklist], and COVID-19–related outcomes [COVID-19–related worries about food, employment, and financial security, and COVID-19–related grief including concerns about missing out on significant life events or social relationships]). Out of 981 respondents, 320 (32.6%) identified as SGM, which was defined as all who identified as neither cisgender nor heterosexual. Compared to non-SGM young adults, SGM young adults scored significantly higher in depression (p = .001), anxiety (p = .001), and PTSD symptomatology (p < .001). Furthermore, SGM young adults experienced more COVID-19–specific worries (p < .001) and COVID-19–related grief (p < .001). These results remained significant even after adjusting for demographic information, previous mental health diagnoses, lifetime discrimination, and family support. These findings suggest that not only has COVID-19 disproportionately impacted SGM mental health, but also that minority stress factors cannot fully explain this impact. University administrators and employers must consider how closing workspaces and campus housing may force SGM young adults to engage with unsupportive family members. Clinically, providers must consider that patients may be uniquely affected by the pandemic’s disruptions to society and daily life.