Research Alert: June 22, 2022

Social and Emotional Support during the COVID-19 Pandemic by Sexual Orientation and Rurality

Rural residents face distinct risks for social isolation and loneliness, as do lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. This policy brief examines nationally representative data on social and emotional supports during the COVID-19 pandemic by rurality and sexual orientation.

• Rural LGB adults reported the lowest levels of having their social and emotional needs met.
• Approximately 32.7% of rural LGB adults said those needs were always met (versus 55.7% of rural heterosexual adults).
• Rural LGB adults also reported the greatest decrease in social and emotional support during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 23.5% saying they had less support than they had a year ago.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Mental Health, Rural Health Disparities, Social Determinants of Health