Manifestations of social inequality in connection with the COVID-19 epidemic among men who have sex with men and transgender people in Ukraine: results of a survey of users of the mobile application “Hornet”

Abstract

Data on the effects of COVID-19-related social restrictions on LGBT people are scarce, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), which is characterized by an unstable economy, the presence of interstate conflicts and heterogeneous access of vulnerable groups to social services remain a “white spot” on the research map. The article aims to close knowledge gaps about the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men and transgender people in Ukraine. A cross-sectional online survey of 820 Hornet mobile app users who are male, over the age of 18, and reside in Ukraine was undertaken from March to May 2020. The analysis is based on one- and two-dimensional distributions. The chi-square test for categorical variables and comparison of means for the PHQ-4 depression and anxiety scales were used to compare the social vulnerability of various sample groups. COVID-19 significantly impacted the economic circumstances of the people surveyed: 24% lost at least two-thirds of their income, 41% lost their jobs, and 23% found themselves in extreme poverty and had to limit their food intake. Respondents who belong to socially more vulnerable populations were particularly heavily struck by the COVID-19 epidemic’s societal and economic changes in 2020. However, the prevalence of suicidal ideations among respondents did not change compared to the pre-pandemic period. The average data on respondents’ mental health (PHQ-4) scale is 4,9 (95% CI: 4,6–5,3), which did not exceed the bounds of mild deviations from the norm. The limitation of physical freedom, which resulted in economic losses, causing the level of depression and anxiety among suffering groups to be worsened. The findings show the negative effects of COVID-19 restrictions on LGBT physical, social, and mental well-being in Ukraine. The epidemic’s harmful effects harmed the region’s men who have sex with men, but more socially vulnerable categories were hardest hit. Thus, the outbreak made already existing disparities worse.