On July 15, 2024, APA Services, with expert input from APA’s Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, responded to the NIH’s request for information (RFI) concerning their 2026–30 Strategic Plan for Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Health Research, underscoring the critical need for research that addresses the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQI+ community.
The association highlighted the link between discrimination and various health disparities, including substance use disorder and suicidality and advocated for research efforts to understand and combat these issues, which are crucial for promoting equity and well-being. “It is vital to understand the role that relationships and community support play in building resilience against discrimination and minority stress,” APA Services noted. The response also referenced the 2022 APA Council policy resolution, Psychology’s Role in Advancing Population Health (PDF, 149KB)opens in new window, which states, “APA supports a population health approach to improve health, health equity, safety, and well-being, which states that ‘a biopsychosocial perspective is important across the lifespan and across the communities and settings where people live, work, learn, and play.’”
Further, the association called attention to the emerging research opportunities related to the impacts of intersectional identities on mental and behavioral health. Individuals with intersectional identities face heightened levels of stigma and barriers to care. The response emphasized the necessity of inclusive research that encompasses the experiences of SGM individuals who require specialized care.
The association also encouraged research into the psychological and physiological impacts of harmful practices like conversion therapy and restrictions on gender-affirming care. It cited APA’s 2024 Policy Statement on Affirming Evidence Based Inclusive Care for Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Nonbinary Individuals, Addressing Misinformation, and the Role of Psychological Practice and Science (PDF, 90KB)opens in new window, noting that such restrictions threaten the mental health and well-being of a population already at higher risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts. Finally, the response discussed the need to understand the impact of developing technology on SGM individuals.
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