Disparities in Mental Health and Well-Being between Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: This study examines disparities in older adults' mental health and well-being during the pandemic by sexual minority status. Methods: This study analyzed data on older adults from the Health and Retirement Study's COVID-19 Module (N = 3142 for heterosexuals and N = 75 for sexual minorities). Weighted regressions linked concern about COVID-19, depression, pandemic emotional stress, and changes in loneliness, in-person contacts, income, and work to sexual minority status, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Compared to heterosexuals, sexual minority older adults had more concern about the pandemic and emotional stress and showed a decrease in in-person contact during the pandemic-these differences were not explained by sociodemographic characteristics. Sexual minority older adults were also more likely to have changes in income and work during the pandemic, but these differences were explained by sociodemographic characteristics. Discussion: Sexual minority older adults have experienced worse mental health outcomes than heterosexuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, which merits intervention.

Toward an optimized measure of perceived partner responsiveness: Development and validation of the perceived responsiveness and insensitivity scale.

Perceived partner responsiveness (PPR; Reis & Shaver, Handbook of personal relationships, 1988, Wiley)-the belief that one's partner will attend to core concerns-is a construct in basic relationship research that can help evaluate intimacy in couple therapy. However, research into PPR is hampered by a lack of standardized measurement. Three studies were undertaken to develop and evaluate an optimized self-report PPR measure. In Study 1, n = 2,334 respondents completed 246 candidate items derived from 19 PPR measures. Exploratory factor analyses identified two underlying dimensions, Responsiveness and Insensitivity. Item response theory was used to develop two 8-item subscales for the Perceived Responsiveness and Insensitivity scale (PRI), both of which showed incremental prediction over global satisfaction. In Study 2, n = 173 respondents completed the brief PRI along with measures of global relationship evaluations and concrete relationship behaviors every other week for 8 weeks. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models found the PRI subscales were more sensitive than global evaluations to fluctuations in support and conflict. In Study 3, n = 161 heterosexual couples completed the brief PRI along with self-reports of responsive and insensitive behaviors. Actor-partner interdependence models demonstrated the PRI subscales were associated with partners' self-reported behaviors even after controlling for own behaviors. Thus, the PRI offers a PPR measure that demonstrates desirable properties for treatment research including (a) incremental validity over global satisfaction, (b) ability to detect meaningful change over time, and (c) sensitivity to partners' behaviors in the relationship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

"Constant Stress Has Become the New Normal": Stress and Anxiety Inequalities Among U.S. College Students in the Time of COVID-19.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to document young adults' perceived stress and anxiety in a diverse sample of college students across the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We recruited, via Instagram, a sample of full-time college students aged 18-22 from across the U.S. We surveyed them in April (baseline; N = 707; mean age = 20.0, SD = 1.3) and July (follow-up) 2020. This study presents overall levels of perceived stress and general anxiety symptoms and inequalities across each of these outcomes by gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and household income. We also explore potential explanations for these health issues by analyzing baseline qualitative data. RESULTS: All students, on average, were suffering from perceived stress and anxiety, with especially high levels in April. We also identified inequalities in college student mental well-being, particularly by gender identity and sexual orientation. Women reported worse well-being compared with men; transgender and gender diverse and sexual minority youths reported worse outcomes than their cisgender, heterosexual peers at both time points. Qualitative data illustrate how the COVID-19 pandemic has generated educational, economic, and environmental stressors that are affecting college students' well-being. CONCLUSIONS: As colleges and universities think about how to manage and mitigate the infectious disease dimensions of COVID-19 among their student populations, they must also consider who is most at risk for increased stress and anxiety during the pandemic.

Evidence of Social and Structural COVID-19 Disparities by Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Race/Ethnicity in an Urban Environment.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread social, psychological, and economic impacts. However, these impacts are not distributed equally: already marginalized populations, specifically racial/ethnic minority groups and sexual and gender minority populations, may be more likely to suffer the effects of COVID-19. The COVID-19 Resiliency Survey was conducted by the city of Chicago to assess the impact of COVID-19 on city residents in the wake of Chicago's initial lockdown, with particular focus on the experiences of minority populations. Chi-square tests of independence were performed to compare COVID-19-related outcomes and impacts on heterosexual vs. sexual minority populations, cisgender vs. gender minority populations, and White vs. racial/ethnic minority subgroups. Marginalized populations experienced significant disparities in COVID-19 exposure, susceptibility, and treatment access, as well as in psychosocial effects of the pandemic. Notably, Black and Latinx populations reported significant difficulties accessing food and supplies (p = 0.002). Healthcare access disparities were also visible, with Black and Latinx respondents reporting significantly lower levels of access to a provider to see if COVID-19 testing would be appropriate (p = 0.013), medical services (p = 0.001), and use of telehealth for mental health services (p = 0.001). Sexual minority respondents reported significantly lower rates of using telehealth for mental health services (p = 0.011), and gender minority respondents reported significantly lower levels of primary care provider access (p = 0.016). There are evident COVID-19 disparities experienced in Chicago especially for Black, Latinx, sexual minority, and gender minority groups. A greater focus must be paid to health equity, including providing increased resources and supplies for affected groups, adapting to inequities in the built environment, and ensuring adequate access to healthcare services to ameliorate the burden of COVID-19 on these marginalized populations.