According to new research published by the American Psychological Association, gay and bisexual men who move from a country with a high stigma towards LGBTQ people to one with greater acceptance of LGBTQ rights experience a significantly lower risk of suicide and depression .
The study used data from 48 countries, using a new approach to test the negative mental health consequences of structural stigma by examining data from gay and bisexual men who moved between countries with different levels of structural stigma.
Social stigma
The study used data from a 2017-18 online survey of more than 123,000 participants living in countries in Europe and Asia. Most of the participants were gay or bisexual men, while about 6% were men who had sex with men who identified as heterosexual or other identity.
The survey asked participants questions designed to assess their mental health, as well as other factors, such as the extent to which they felt compelled to hide their sexual orientation , internalized negative attitudes they had towards homosexuality, and how socially isolated they felt.
The researchers analyzed data from participants who moved between countries with different levels of structural stigma, measured by an indicator compiled from 15 laws and policies related to LGBTQ rights, as well as social attitudes. More than 11,000 participants who moved from countries with higher stigma to countries with lower stigma were included in the analysis .
Although the study did not examine the effects of specific laws and policies, one of the most common forms of structural stigma in the countries with the highest stigma was the lack of legal recognition of relationships, such as same-sex marriage.