Understanding how societal stigma affects the mental health of sexual minorities
The Socioecology of Sexual Minority Stigma: Data Harmonization to Address Confounding Bias and Investigate Cross-Level MentalHealth Effects
This project brings together information from large health surveys to understand how different levels of societal stigma impact the mental well-being of sexual minority individuals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Diego State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11081030 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many sexual minority individuals experience higher rates of depression and suicide attempts. This project explores how societal stigma, like discriminatory laws or negative public attitudes at the state and county levels, contributes to these mental health differences. Researchers will combine and analyze data from several large US health surveys to get a clearer picture of these complex relationships. By looking at information from different sources, we hope to better understand how these societal factors influence mental health outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project uses existing, de-identified data, so direct patient participation is not involved, but the findings are relevant to sexual minority individuals who experience mental health challenges.
Not a fit: Individuals not identifying as sexual minorities or those not experiencing mental health disparities related to stigma may not directly benefit from the specific findings of this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could lead to a better understanding of how societal factors affect mental health, potentially informing policies and interventions to improve well-being for sexual minority individuals.
How similar studies have performed: While previous studies have linked structural stigma to adverse mental health, this project uses a novel data harmonization approach to more comprehensively address confounding biases.
Where this research is happening
San Diego, United States
- San Diego State University — San Diego, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Der Star, Arjan — San Diego State University
- Study coordinator: Van Der Star, Arjan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.