Considerations and recommendations for mHealth interventions for substance use among Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) individuals: A narrative review of the past 5years.

Abstract

The prevalence of problematic substance use is disproportionately higher among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults compared to adults in the general population. mHealth as a treatment modality could reduce barriers to accessing substance use treatments among SGM populations. Through a qualitative literature search, the current narrative review aimed to understand the lived experiences of SGM individuals who use substances and to synthesize recommendations made in the literature to inform future mHealth interventions. Positive and negative reinforcement motives were prominent reasons for substance use, which included SGM identity expression and conformity motives. Individual- and system-level treatment barriers included a lack of safe and nonjudgmental environment, shame and stigma, and limited knowledge about treatment options. Barriers were directly linked to the reported substance use treatment needs in this population. On-demand app features, real-time intervention and assessment, and anonymity should be considered in future mHealth trials. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40429-023-00497-0.