Introduction Sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and Two-Spirit people, have historically been researched from a deficits-based approach that fails to highlight the ways communities survive and thrive in the face of adversity. This study endeavored to create a model of resources that promote SGM resilience using a sample that amplified traditionally underrepresented perspectives, including individuals from racial and/or ethnic minority groups, trans and/or gender diverse individuals, individuals on the asexual spectrum, and older adults. Methods Participant responses to three open-ended questions from The PRIDE Study’s (an online national longitudinal cohort study of SGM people) 2018 Annual Questionnaire were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. These questions examined what brings people joy and what they appreciate most about their SGM identity. Participants (n = 315) were randomly selected from a larger sample of people who had responded to demographic questions and at least one open-ended question (N = 4,030) in a manner to ensure diverse representation across race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and region of residence. Results The proposed model includes social resources (Connecting with Others, Cultivating Family, Helping Others, Participating in Culture and Spirituality), affective generative resources (Engaging in Enriching Pursuits, Accessing Economic Resources), and introspective resources (Exploring One’s Authentic Self, Persevering through Hardship) that are theorized to contribute to SGM resilience across the life course. Conclusions SGM communities may tap into various resources to promote resilience. As public health practitioners, we can help to foster this resilience by resourcing and supporting initiatives that foster social connection, create spaces for community members to engage with various types of enrichment, facilitate access to economic resources, and provide support and inclusion for all SGM community members.
Background Mobile health (mHealth) interventions, including smartphone apps, have been found to be an effective means of increasing the uptake of HIV prevention tools, including HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests and pre-exposure prophylaxis. However, most HIV prevention mHealth apps tested in the United States have been tested among populations living in areas surrounding urban centers. Owing to reduced access to broadband internet and reliable cellular data services, it remains unclear how accessible and effective these interventions will be in rural areas. In addition, gay and bisexual men who have sex with men and gender minority populations in rural areas experience enhanced stigma when compared with their more urban counterparts, and these experiences might affect their willingness and interest in mHealth apps. Objective This study aimed to conduct online focus groups with men who have sex with men and transgender and gender diverse populations in the rural southern United States to assess their interest in mHealth HIV prevention apps and the features that they would be the most interested in using. Methods Focus group participants were recruited from a larger pool of sexual and gender minority respondents to a web-based research survey. The participants indicated that they would be willing to participate in an online focus group discussion. Focus groups were conducted via secure Zoom (Zoom Video Communications Inc) videoconferencing. During the focus group discussions, participants were asked to discuss their experiences with HIV and STI prevention and how these experiences were affected by living in a rural area. They were then shown screenshots of a new app to promote HIV and STI prevention among rural populations and asked to provide their opinions on the app’s features. The transcripts of the discussions were reviewed and coded using a constant comparative approach. Results A total of 6 focus groups were conducted with 26 participants. Most participants were cisgender gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (19/26, 73%); the remaining participants were transgender men (2/26, 8%), were nonbinary people (2/26, 8%), or had multiple gender identities (3/26, 12%). Participants reported numerous barriers to accessing HIV and STI prevention services and accurate information about HIV and STI prevention options. Overall, the participants reported a high degree of interest in mHealth interventions for HIV and STI prevention and suggested several recommendations for the features of an app-based intervention that would be the most useful for rural residents. Conclusions These focus group discussions indicate that rural residence is not a major barrier to mHealth HIV and STI prevention intervention implementation and that there is a high degree of interest in these approaches to HIV and STI prevention.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.