{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T08:57:16Z","timestamp":1791363436514,"version":"4.3.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,11]],"date-time":"2022-04-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1649635200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic most likely had a negative impact on mental health. Sexual minorities are at higher risk for adverse mental outcomes such as depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. Such mental health disparities may have exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to restricted real-life social contact. The study aim was to examine changes in depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation among Belgian sexual minority adults between the periods before and during the first COVID-19 lockdown. We conducted an online survey, which was disseminated by community organizations throughout Belgium in April 2020. The questionnaire included two-item Generalized-Anxiety-Disorder (GAD-2) and Patient-Health-Questionnaire (PHQ-2) measures. To assess how such symptoms and other factors (e.g., loneliness) had changed, we asked to what extent these occurred before and since the lockdown. We included 965 fully completed questionnaires in the analysis. The proportions of participants screening positive for depression and anxiety were significantly higher during the lockdown than before the lockdown, based on their reported symptoms for these periods: 29.3%% vs. 13.5% (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001), and 37.1% vs. 25.7% (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.001) respectively. Lonely and young participants were more likely to acquire depression. About one in five participants reported suicidal ideation. Our findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already existing mental health disparities between sexual minority adults and the general population. These exacerbations may be the result of increased loneliness and social isolation. The results highlight the need for stimulating and strengthening social connectedness within the LGBTQI community during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for maintaining mental health services for such groups during pandemic restrictions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.797093","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,11]],"date-time":"2022-04-11T04:29:31Z","timestamp":1649651371000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Increased Anxiety and Depression Among Belgian Sexual Minority Groups During the First COVID-19 Lockdown\u2014Results From an Online Survey"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Thijs","family":"Reyniers","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Veerle","family":"Buffel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Estrelle","family":"Thunnissen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bea","family":"Vuylsteke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Magdalena","family":"Siegel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christiana","family":"N\u00f6stlinger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edwin","family":"Wouters","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","year":"2020","journal-title":"Resurgence of Reported Cases of COVID-19 in the EU\/EAA, the UK and EU Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"470","DOI":"10.1038\/s43017-020-0079-1","article-title":"The COVID-19 lockdowns: a window into the earth system","volume":"1","author":"Diffenbaugh","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat Rev Earth Environ."},{"key":"B3","unstructured":"2020"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"414","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2020-054756","article-title":"Reduced sexual contacts with non-steady partners and less PrEP use among MSM in Belgium during the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown: results of an online survey","volume":"97","author":"Reyniers","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2020.06.036","article-title":"The loneliness pandemic: loneliness and other concomitants of depression, anxiety and their comorbidity during the COVID-19 outbreak","volume":"275","author":"Palgi","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Affect Disord."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-020-00589-w","article-title":"Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"16","author":"Salari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Global Health."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1037\/cou0000088","article-title":"A relational model of sexual minority mental and physical health: the negative effects of shame on relationships, loneliness, and health","volume":"62","author":"Mereish","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Couns Psychol."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1080\/19359705.2018.1560385","article-title":"Stigma and suicide risk among the LGBTQ population: are anxiety and depression to blame and can connectedness to the LGBTQ community help?","volume":"23","author":"Kaniuka","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Gay Lesbian Ment Health."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-007-9252-6","article-title":"The relation between social embeddedness and loneliness among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the Netherlands","volume":"38","author":"Fokkema","year":"2009","journal-title":"Arch Sex Behav."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"437","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-012-0013-9","article-title":"A longitudinal study of predictors of suicide attempts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth","volume":"42","author":"Mustanski","year":"2013","journal-title":"Arch Sex Behav."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1080\/00918369.2011.534038","article-title":"Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: review and recommendations","volume":"58","author":"Haas","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Homosex."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-244X-8-70","article-title":"Systematic review of mental disorder, suicide, and deliberate self harm in lesbian, gay and bisexual people","volume":"8","author":"King","year":"2008","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093153","article-title":"Mental health in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth","volume":"12","author":"Russell","year":"2016","journal-title":"Annu Rev Clin Psychol."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1089\/lgbt.2020.0187","article-title":"Addressing the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and gender minority populations in the United States: actions toward equity","volume":"7","author":"Phillips","year":"2020","journal-title":"LGBT Heal."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"613","DOI":"10.1016\/S0033-3182(09)70864-3","article-title":"An ultra-brief screening scale for anxiety and depression: the PHQ\u22124","volume":"50","author":"Kroenke","year":"2009","journal-title":"Psychosomatics."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"655","DOI":"10.1177\/0164027504268574","article-title":"A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: results from two population-based studies","volume":"26","author":"Hughes","year":"2004","journal-title":"Res Aging."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113117","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113117","article-title":"Loneliness: a signature mental health concern in the era of COVID-19","volume":"290","author":"Killgore","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res"},{"key":"B18","unstructured":"Derde COVID-19-Gezondheidsenqu\u00eate"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"672","DOI":"10.1093\/pubmed\/fdaa106","article-title":"Increased generalized anxiety, depression and distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Germany","volume":"42","author":"B\u00e4uerle","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Public Heal (United Kingdom)."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"954","DOI":"10.1002\/da.23077","article-title":"Census Bureau-assessed prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in 2019 and during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"37","author":"Twenge","year":"2020","journal-title":"Depress Anxiety."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2020.05.040","article-title":"Mental health consequences during the initial stage of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in Spain","volume":"87","author":"Gonz\u00e1lez-Sanguino","year":"2020","journal-title":"Brain Behav Immun."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113365","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113365","article-title":"Effects of general and sexual minority-specific COVID-19-related stressors on the mental health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in Hong Kong","volume":"292","author":"Suen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1007\/s10461-020-02969-0","article-title":"Economic, mental health, HIV prevention and HIV treatment impacts of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 response on a global sample of cisgender gay men and other men who have sex with men","volume":"25","author":"Santos","year":"2021","journal-title":"AIDS Behav."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6928","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2021.692884","article-title":"Sexual minority orientation is associated with greater psychological impact due to the COVID-19 crisis\u2014evidence from a longitudinal cohort study of young swiss men","volume":"9","author":"Marmet","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Public Heal"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"450","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2020.06.002","article-title":"\u201cI'm Kinda Stuck at Home With Unsupportive Parents Right Now\u201d: LGBTQ Youths' experiences with COVID-19 and the importance of online support","volume":"67","author":"Fish","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Adolesc Heal."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"612","DOI":"10.1080\/00918369.2020.1868186","article-title":"Psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health among LGBTQ+ young adults: a cross-cultural comparison across six nations","volume":"68","author":"Gato","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Homosex."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1080\/00918369.2020.1868182","article-title":"Introduction to Special Issue: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on LGBTQ+ health and well-being","volume":"68","author":"Drabble","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Homosex."},{"key":"B28","unstructured":"GisleL\n            DrieskensS\n            DemarestS\n            Van de HeydenJ\n          RapportnummerD\/2020\/14.440\/4. BrusselGeestelijke Gezondheid: Gezondheidsenqu\u00eate 20182020"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2022.797093\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,11]],"date-time":"2022-04-11T04:29:40Z","timestamp":1649651380000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2022.797093\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,11]]},"references-count":28,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2022.797093"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2022.797093","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,4,11]]},"article-number":"797093"}}