Pride and Pandemic: Health experiences and coping strategies among LGBTQ+ people during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: National report

This report presents findings from Pride and Pandemic, a study conducted in partnership between LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA) and the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), La Trobe University. Pride and Pandemic explores experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) adults aged 18 and over in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on mental health outcomes and the coping strategies used to mitigate these. The study comprised a large online survey followed by focus group discussions with young people, trans and gender diverse people, LGBTQ+ people from culturally diverse communities, and those who are part of rainbow families, defined as LGBTQ+ people who are parents or care for young children. 

The chapters of this report present a comprehensive snapshot of the data obtained through the Pride and Pandemic survey and focus groups. Throughout the report the data are presented for the full sample. Each chapter also includes a large table to illustrate the role of intersecting identities and how the pandemic may have been experienced differently for different subsections of the LGBTQ+ population. In these tables, key variables are broken down by age, gender, sexual orientation, multicultural background, disability, residential location and state or territory. Additionally, for information that may not have been captured by the survey, outcomes from the focus groups are presented throughout the report to provide more in-depth accounts of the mental health experiences of LGBTQ+ people during the pandemic and coping strategies used to manage mental health. 

  

© ARCSHS, La Trobe University 2021.

This report may be downloaded for personal use only. Permission to reproduce this report must be sought from La Trobe University.