Psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on LGBT people in Chile

Abstract

IntroductionCOVID-19 pandemic has led many countries around the world, including Chile, to take various measures, including physical and, social isolation. The effects of these measures, necessary to prevent the virus from spreading, must be studied. In particular, quarantines are known to have an impact on quality of life and well-being (for example, associated symptoms such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and other psychosocial consequences). Furthermore, these effects are expected to be more pronounced in previously disadvantaged populations, such as LGBT people. This paper describes the main measures taken by LGBT population during quarantine to avoid COVID-19 and its psychosocial consequences on an individual and social basis.MethodNon-probability sampling was used. An online self-administered survey including 1181 participants was used. These were lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender residents over 18 years old from Chile.ResultsAlmost eight out of ten participants were in a total quarantine situation. From them, 18.2% were in partial isolation and only 4.6% were not in quarantine. COVID-19 has affected almost all the LGBT participants to a certain extent. COVID-19 has emotionally affected the vast majority of the LGBT participants to a certain extent. In other words, the pandemic has affected their lives. This psychosocial impact of COVID has been greater for people who define themselves as *sexual (include queer, asexual, pansexual, demisexual).DiscussionThe measures taken to prevent the virus transmission significantly affect LGBT people's life. In particular, these measures affect *sexual people. *sexual people must manage discrimination and misunderstanding of their identity in many contexts including their family.