Local stigma harms LGBTQ+ youth more than state-level policies do.

Structural stigma refers to societal rules, policies, and broad cultural biases that harm certain groups. Scientists know this harms the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth, but most past studies only examined broad statewide or nationwide environments. This misses how local towns and daily surroundings affect people. Researchers looked at how stigma at both county and state levels connects to depression, anxiety, substance use, and mental healthcare access for LGBTQ+ youth across the United States. They matched mental health surveys from young people with data measuring local and state bias. They discovered that structural stigma harms youth mental health. Crucially, stigma at the county level had a more significant impact on depression, anxiety, and substance use severity than stigma measured across the entire state.

Why it matters

For LGBTQ+ youth, the stigma they face in their own county may matter more for their mental health than statewide laws. This means efforts to improve mental health should focus on local schools, clinics, and neighborhoods, not just national policies. Targeting local stigma could reduce depression, anxiety, and substance use among these youth.

Questions answered