Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among the LGBTQIA+ Population in Northern Kerala: A Cross-Sectional Study”

Background: LGBTQIA+ are a minority exposed to discrimination, stigma, and unfavorable legislation. They face difficulty in accessing appropriate healthcare interventions, which makes them more prone to psychological dysfunction. However, currently, there is a dearth of research in this area. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among the LGBTQIA+ population in Northern Kerala. Also, this study attempted to find the association between sociodemographic profile and severity of anxiety, depression, and stress. Materials and Methods: Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and stress levels were evaluated in 78 participants from a health awareness camp for the LGBTQIA+ community using the PHQ-9 questionnaire, GAD-7 scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The majority of the participants experienced minimal to mild anxiety (70.5%) and depressive (47.5%) symptoms. Moderate level of stress was reported by 84.6% of participants. Association between anxiety symptoms and sociodemographic variables like biological sex and gender identity were found to be statistically significant (chi-square =14.986, p value=0.005 and chi-square =12.816, p value=0.046). Depressive symptoms had a significant association with gender identity (chi-square =18.132, p value=0.034), and stress had an association with socioeconomic status, which was found to be statistically significant. (chi-square =15.846, p value=0.003). Conclusion: The burden afforded by anxiety, depression, and stress on the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community warrants early detection and psychiatric intervention. In light of a dearth of studies, further research in this area is the need of the hour.