Minority Experience Research Articles

Using Quality Improvement to Design Early Childhood Services Navigation in Primary Care.

We used the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement. Interventions included system changes in partnership with ECE agencies (eg, interactive map of subsidized preschool options, streamlined enrollment forms), case management with families, and population-based approaches to understand families' needs and the program's overall impact. We plotted the number of monthly facilitated referrals and the percentage of referrals enrolled on run and control charts. We used standard probability-based rules to identify special causes. Facilitated referrals increased from 0 to 29 per month and remained above 15. The percentage of enrolled referrals increased from 30% to 74% in 2018, then decreased to 27% in 2020 when childcare availability declined during the pandemic. Our innovative ECE partnership improved access to high-quality ECE. Interventions could be adopted in part or whole by other clinical practices or WIC offices to equitably improve early childhood experiences for low-income families and racial minorities.

성소수자의 가족경험에 대한 질적 메타분석

The purpose of this study was to analyze qualitative meta-analysis of studies conducted as qualitative studies on family experiences related to sexual minorities already been published. In the absence of the same-sex marriage law, it was intended to understand the family experience of LGBTQ people, including homosexual cohabitation, and the experience of parents with LGBTQ children as a whole. The subjects of the analysis are nine published in domestic journals and dissertations from 2015 to 2022, the first start of the sexual minority family experience. Data coding and categories of individual studies, mutual comparison between individual studies, analysis, result extraction, comprehensive results, and final interpretation were carried out in seven steps. Based on this, the core experiences and conceptual themes of the subjects who have the family experience of LGBTQ were reconstructed. The results of the study are as follows. First, one key experience and four conceptual themes of ‘gender identity of difference’ were derived from the experience of sexual minorities before the family knew it. Subsequently, two key experiences and five conceptual topics were derived from the responses and experiences of family members, “rejection and avoidance” and “acceptance.” Finally, the sexual minority party experience after the family knew resulted in two themes: ‘friction and barrier’ and ‘full life’ and four conceptual themes. Based on this, the experience of sexual minorities and the reactions and experiences of family members were explained and discussed. Through qualitative meta-analysis, it is possible to grasp the specific appearance of sexual minorities’ family experiences and present implications by reflecting in-depth on the research conducted by qualitative research. Finally, the significance of the study was presented and suggested for follow-up research.

Capturing the experiences of sexual and gender minorities with migraine headache.

Capturing the experiences of sexual and gender minorities with migraine headache.

Toward a Holistic Understanding of Factors That Support or Inhibit Graduate Student Success

The goal of this research was to gain a holistic understanding of factors that support or inhibit graduate student success, with a particular interest in the experiences of underrepresented minorities, females in STEM, and first-generation college students. The Graduate Student Success Survey (GSSS) was developed and validated with 537 M.S. and Ph.D. students at a research-intensive university in the southeastern United States. Guided by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and informed by salient factors described in the literature and published surveys, items were developed to measure students’ perceptions of imposter syndrome, microaggressions, microaffirmations, mentoring, sense of belonging, financial support, and mentor relationships. This manuscript details the development of these items and validation of the GSSS with full- and part-time thesis-based graduate students across twelve colleges, six of which were STEM-focused. Validity and reliability were tested with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, resulting in a survey with seven subscales. Findings revealed significant differences in these graduate students’ experiences based on their gender identity, racial and ethnic group, citizenship status, and program area. The findings of this study report the experiences of graduate students at one institution. However, the validated survey and the recommendations resulting from the findings could be used to scaffold student success and provide insight for faculty and administrators on how to better support students.

Art-based way of telling the world I am autistic and trying sense-making of this experience

The article describes, from a first-person female perspective, the experience of an autism diagnosis in adulthood and the attempt to cope with it and build a new identity through visual art. Once again, it has been shown that contemporary art, by publically presenting minority experiences, can be an ideal tool for discourse on socially up-to-date issues and may cause a change in attitudes. Therefore, the artistic activism of minority representatives is vital.

The future of the U.S. safety & health workforce: Opportunities for academic diversity, equity, and inclusion through a leak-proof career pathway

Introduction: In this commentary, we explore safety and health career pathways in the U.S. and discuss the future of work through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We address occupational safety and health inequities, including underrepresentation of racial and ethnic groups in academic disciplines, which impacts workers' safety and the future of work. We introduce the Accessibility, Sustainability, and Knowledge-Generation (ASK) framework to broaden minority participation in occupational safety and health (OSH) education. Method: The ASK framework integrates insights from learned experiences, research literature, accreditation knowledge, and community feedback to identify strategies for dismantling barriers to workforce diversity and promoting equitable participation and access to opportunities in OSH education. We conducted a US based survey to gain insights into the minority experience and the role of students, faculty, and academia in mitigating disparities and creating pathways of opportunities. Results: The survey results highlight the need for pedagogic improvements in OSH academic programs to attract more minorities. The appreciation of cultural competence across universities and changes to current systemic funding mechanisms are identified as crucial factors. We acknowledge that existing interventions have been less effective due to a lack of tangible actions. However, we emphasize that solutions exist, and meaningful support is required to drive change. Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of addressing occupational safety and health inequities and the underrepresentation of minority groups in OSH education. The ASK framework provides a comprehensive approach to broaden minority participation and promote diversity in the field. Pedagogic improvements, cultural competence, and changes to funding mechanisms are necessary steps to attract and retain underrepresented minorities in OSH academic programs. Practical Applications: The findings of this study have practical implications for institutions and stakeholders involved in occupational safety and health education. It emphasizes the need for proactive strategies to attract and support underrepresented minority students and faculty. Promoting cultural competence and making changes to funding mechanisms can contribute to creating more equitable and inclusive pathways for diverse groups in OSH education. Tangible actions and meaningful support are essential for driving change and achieving workforce diversity and equity.

“What's Your Name Again?”: How Race and Gender Dynamics Impact Codesign Processes and Output

Creating technology products using codesign techniques often results in higher end-user engagement compared to expert-driven designs. Codesign sessions are typically structured in flexible and informal ways to achieve equal design partnerships especially in adult-child interactions. This generally leads to better design output, however, it may also increase the enactment of socially constructed stereotypes and biases in ways that negatively affect the experiences of racial minorities and girls/women in design spaces. We codesigned a video game with a K-5 afterschool program located in a working-class, rural, predominantly white county over 20 weeks. We uncover ways that the codesign process and different activity types can create a permissive environment for enacting behaviors that are harmful to minorities. We discuss ways to manage and restructure codesign programs to be more conducive for children and adults from diverse backgrounds, ultimately leading to healthier design partnerships.

Communication about children's origins among same‐gender adoptive parent families in Belgium, France, and Spain

AbstractObjectiveThis study explored communication about children's origins among same‐gender parent adoptive families.BackgroundAlthough this topic has been widely researched among different‐gender parent adoptive families, communication about origins among those with same‐gender parents, as well as sexual minority identity dynamics relevant to this crucial task, remain unexplored.MethodA sample of same‐gender adoptive couples (N = 31) from Belgium, France, and Spain with children aged between 4 and 18 years (Mage = 8.9 years) participated in a semistructured interview and a graphic projective test aimed at explore their feelings and communication process about their adopted child's birth family.ResultsInductive thematic analysis yielded a continuum of three main stances conveyed by adoptive parents regarding their child's origins: (a) critical/minimization, (b) cautious/uncertainty, and (c) open/validation. The first (critical/minimization) was associated with experiences of sexual minority stigma and poorer communication about children's origins and sexual minority family‐related issues, while the second (cautious/uncertainty) was characterized by mixed feelings (i.e., at times open, at times critical) in communicating about origins and parents' sexual minority experiences. The third (open/validation) was associated with positive feelings toward adoptive and sexual minority family statuses, as well as identity integration as a lesbian or gay parent and low internalized sexual stigma.ConclusionOur findings underline the importance of sexual minority identity issues in relation to communication about children's origins in same‐gender parent adoptive families.ImplicationsThese findings have important implications for both adoption assessment and therapeutic work with same‐gender adoptive parent families.

Chilly climate perceived by female engineering undergraduates: an exploratory study using concept mapping.

Women still being a minority in engineering majors, they are reported to face discriminatory treatment in a collegiate environment. "Chilly climate," referring to such a sexist environment, may have a negative impact on women's mental health, academics, and careers. But, what exactly is it that female students in engineering perceive as chilly, and how chilly is it? This study aimed to explore the chilly campus climate perceived by female undergraduate engineering students in South Korea using the concept mapping method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants enrolled for more than four semesters at four-year coeducational universities. After extracting 52 representative statements, the participants were asked to classify them according to content similarity and rate the influence of each statement on their perception of the chilly climate. For concept mapping analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis (ALSCAL), hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward's method), and non-hierarchical cluster analysis (K-means method) were performed. Fifty-two statements were extracted under the following four clusters: (i) "Exclusion and alienation inherent in the culture (Cluster 1)," (ii) "Sexual objectification and lack of gender sensitivity (Cluster 2)," (iii) "Male-centered academic situations (Cluster 3)," and (iv) "Prejudice and generalization (Cluster 4)." A concept map was two-dimensional: an X-axis named "context dimension," with "task: academic" and "non-task: social" at both ends, and a Y-axis named "sexism dimension", having "explicit" and "implicit" at both ends. The order of higher scores in the influence rating is as follows: Cluster 2, Cluster 3, Cluster 1, and Cluster 4. This study is significant because it conceptualizes the subjective experience of minorities in a collegiate environment and provides influence rating results for prioritized measures. The findings will be helpful in formulating educational policies, psychological counseling, and social advocacy activities. Future research should target larger populations, and cover more diverse cultures, majors, and age groups.

Physical and Mental Health Disparities at the Intersection of Sexual and Gender Minority Statuses: Evidence From Population-Level Data

Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) experience detriments across many physical and mental health outcomes compared with heterosexual and cisgender people. But little is known about health outcomes for those who are both gender minorities and sexual minorities. Motivated by theories of double disadvantage and leveraging advancements in data collection and measurement, we examine physical and mental health disparities across sexual and gender minority statuses: cisgender heterosexuals, gender minority heterosexuals, cisgender sexual minorities, and people who are both gender and sexual minorities. Using Gallup's National Health and Well-Being Index (N = 93,144) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 543,717), we estimate multivariable logistic regression models to examine how sexual and gender minority statuses are associated with poor/fair self-rated health, functional limitations, and diagnosed depression. Regression models adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics show marked physical and mental health disparities: people who are both gender and sexual minorities report greater odds of poor/fair self-rated health, functional limitations, and depression relative to cisgender heterosexuals and, in some cases, relative to gender minority heterosexuals and cisgender sexual minorities. Our results add to a growing body of research documenting the association between multiple disadvantaged statuses and health and provide novel information on SGM health disparities.

Sex and single women in midlife: Theoretical perspectives, recent findings, and future directions

AbstractDemographic trends, such as the graying of divorce, have led to increasing numbers of unmarried women in midlife, yet little is known about the meaning of sex and intimacy among this population. This article reviews the nascent literature on single women's sexual experiences at midlife, theoretical frameworks that have been employed, and key findings. Challenging the stereotype that single women in midlife are in sexual decline, research shows that many women embrace their newfound freedom, have increased agency in midlife, and have positive sexual experiences. Others face impediments to finding new partners and engaging in sexual activity, including the lasting effects of abuse from previous relationships and restrictive social norms. For some, sex becomes less important in midlife, often replaced by close relationships with family and friends. Research largely focuses on White, heterosexual women; research on the experiences of racial and sexual minorities and midlife women in the Global South is needed.

Drafting behind LGB: Transgender athletes in the sport of cycling

Using data from an online survey of 211 heterosexual and 148 sexual and gender minority-identifying cyclists, this article examines the attitudes of both sexual and gender majorities towards sexual and gender minorities as well as the experiences of sexual and gender minorities in relation to each other, within the sport of cycling. The results show a culture of acceptance for LGB athletes with heightened antipathy towards transgender cyclists. However, this variance is not as large as might be expected given the media attention on transgender athletes in cycling, and sport more broadly. It therefore appears that the transgender social movement is drafting closely behind LGB inclusion within this sport.

Authentic allyship for gender minorities.

The visibility and discussion on the rights and needs of Trans and Non-Binary communities in relation to healthcare have seen growing prominence in recent years. Despite an overall improvement in access to legal protections, civil rights, and in many jurisdictions specialist provision of healthcare for gender minorities, there remain poorer health outcomes in many areas and ongoing experiences of discrimination and transphobia. In this article, we set out the prerogative for nurses to step up as authentic allies for Trans and Non Binary people and put forward strategies to enhance the experience of gender minorities in healthcare through practice, education, and systems change.

Stigma and health inequality experienced by ethnic minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Chinese community: an implication to health policymakers.

Ethnic minorities are considered one of the most vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the explanatory pathway of how their disadvantaged experiences during epidemics are related to the embedded and longstanding stigmas against them and how these embedded stigmas can affect their resilience in disease outbreaks are not well understood. This study investigated the experiences of ethnic minorities in the COVID-19 pandemic, and how their experiences were related to the embedded stigma toward them. This study adopted a qualitative approach, interviewed 25 individuals (13 women and 12 men) from ethnic minority groups residing in Hong Kong from August 2021 to February 2022 in a semi-structured format. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The participants were isolated and stereotyped as infectious during the COVID-19 pandemic at community and institutional levels. Their experiences did not occur suddenly during the pandemic but were embedded in the longstanding segregation and negative stereotypes toward ethnic minorities in different aspects of life before the pandemic. These negative stereotypes affected their resilience in living and coping with the pandemic. The participants' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic were mostly disadvantageous and predominantly initiated by the mainstream stigmatization toward them by the local Chinese residents and government. Their disadvantaged experiences in the pandemic should be traced to the embedded social systems, imposing structural disparities for ethnic minorities when accessing social and medical resources during a pandemic. Because of the preexisting stigmatization and social seclusion of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, the participants experienced health inequality, which stemmed from social inequality and the power differential between them and the Chinese locals. The disadvantaged situation of the participants negatively affected their resilience to the pandemic. To enable ethnic minorities better cope with future epidemics, merely providing assistance to them during an epidemic is barely adequate, but a more supportive and inclusive social system should be established for them in the long run.

(221) Impacts of COVID 19 on the Mental Health of LGBTQIA+ People: An Integrative Review

Abstract Introduction The pandemic scenario is a global crisis that has affected not only the physical/biological dimension, but also aspects of mental health and well-being. Even prior to the pandemic, sexual and gender minorities have experienced acts of prejudice and discrimination. These actions result in social exclusion through low employability rates, high unemployment rates, difficulty in accessing housing, food, health care, as well as the shortage of qualified professionals to meet the demands of this specific population. For this reason, some groups are in a position of greater vulnerability facing the COVID-19 crisis, such as the LGBTQIA+ community. Objective This integrative review aimed to verify the impacts of the pandemic context on the mental health of the LGBTQIA+ people, seeking to assess the mental health conditions and well-being of this population in the pandemic. Methods Characterized as an integrative review with a qualitative approach, with a descriptive and transversal scope. The inclusion criteria were: 1) to present a relation between LGBTQIA+ people and the COVID-19 pandemic context; 2) to address aspects of mental health in LGBTQIA+ people during the COVID-19 pandemic, 3) to include empirical data. The exclusion criteria were: 1) review articles, clinical trials or editorial letters; 2) articles that are not in Portuguese or English; 3) articles that address stressors in a decontextualized way of the COVID-19 pandemic; 4) Duplicate articles. Therefore, we used the descriptors “Sexual and Gender Minorities”, “COVID19”, “COVID-19”, “Pandemic”, “Mental Health”, “Depression”, “Anxiety” “Stress”, “Distress”, “Gay”, “Lesbian”, “Trans” and “Minority Stress” on scientific databases (PubMed and Scientific Electronic Library Online). The initial research resulted in 307 registers that were filtered using the Rayyan software, this process was described using a PRISM flowchart. The final sample consisted in 30 articles that were analyzed using Bardin's content analysis. Results Five categories emerged through content analysis: 1) Negative outcomes in mental health, well-being and happiness; 2) Access to physical and psychological health care; 3) Coping strategies, alcohol and other substances use; 4) Economic damage and precarious living conditions and 5) Different experiences and vulnerabilities within the LGBTQIA+ community. Significant relations were found between specific stressors regarding the experience of sexual and gender minorities, such as discrimination, stigmatization from parents and relatives, inability to express one's own gender or sexual orientation, distancing from a support network and community and high rates of symptoms related to stress, anxiety, depression and suicidality, as well as low rates of well-being and happiness. Conclusions This study encourages future studies that provide a broader and, at the same time, more detailed view of this population, contemplating people from different socioeconomic contexts and ethnoracial characteristics, as well as delving into the realities of the various identities of each letter within the LGBTQIA+ community. Disclosure No

What have we learned about sexual harassment among young people? Concluding reflections

AbstractThis article contains concluding reflections for a special issue on sexual harassment among young people. In this concluding article, we reflect on the 14 individual papers in the special issue through three cross‐cutting themes, each with important implications for policy and practice. The themes highlight that (1) attitudes and norms related to sexual harassment are core to its occurrence among young people, (2) the sexual harassment experiences of minority and otherwise hidden youth need to be heard, and (3) innovative approaches and methods advance the current knowledge about sexual harassment among young people. Furthermore, we stress that school policies against sexual harassment need to be reflected in the behaviors of school personnel and peers, and that both students and teachers need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to combat sexual harassment. It is our hope that this special issue will be valuable for researchers, the formulation of societal and school policies, and for the design of developmentally informed interventions.

Critical Race Composite Counter Storytelling as Appropriate Methodology to “Wrestle the White Beast”

Being a Brown woman in academia remains a minority experience. Racialized students within the ivory tower consistently experience microaggressions and violence through institutionally biased university curricula, programs, and policies. Using personal storytelling and narrative to describe my experience of navigating academic dynamics in a public institution in Canada, this article seeks to demystify and dismantle the challenges of navigating graduate school as a woman of colour, specifically in relation to finding an appropriate methodology for my doctoral dissertation research. In this article I will unpack my use of critical race theory’s composite counter storytelling methodology. I look at my process for creating Beti, a composite counterstory of the ten racialized and Indigenous activists I interviewed, and some of the challenges and limitations I encountered in this process. This methodology seeks to improve access and inclusion for racialized students researching their own communities within academic institutions and beyond.

The work of port chaplains: views from seafarers served

ABSTRACT Seafarers have long interacted with religious figures in addition to the merchants, government officials, and members of the public they meet when ships come into port. Today these religious figures are primarily Christian chaplains who provide material and spiritual assistance in ports around the globe. This article extends research about the interactions between port chaplains and seafarers by asking—for the first time—how seafarers experience port chaplains. Drawing on lived religion approaches to the study of religion, it is clear that, while most seafarers rely on port chaplains for practical assistance, a significant minority experience them as religious figures who can be trusted, offer blessings, and quietly remind them of God. The lived religion lens reveals aspects of seafarers’ spiritual and religious agency which are frequently overlooked because they take place quietly in the interstices of their work.

Life events sometimes alter the trajectory of personality development: Effect sizes for 25 life events estimated using a large, frequently assessed sample.

Personality changes across the life span. Life events, such as marriage, becoming a parent, and retirement, have been proposed as facilitating personality growth via the adoption of novel social roles. However, empirical evidence linking life events with personality development is sparse. Most studies have relied on few assessments separated by long time intervals and have focused on a single life event. In contrast, the content of life is composed of small, recurrent experiences (e.g., getting sick or practicing a hobby), with relatively few major events (e.g., childbirth). Small, frequently experienced life events may play an important and overlooked role in personality development. The present study examined the extent to which 25 major and minor life events alter the trajectory of personality development in a large, frequently assessed sample (Nsample = 4904, Nassessments = 47,814, median retest interval = 35 days). Using a flexible analytic strategy to accommodate the repeated occurrence of life events, we found that the trajectory of personality development shifted in response to a single occurrence of some major life events (e.g., divorce), and recurrent, "minor" life experiences (e.g., one's partner doing something special). Both stark role changes and frequently reinforced minor experiences can lead to personality change.

“You can't thrive when you are being suffocated”: Quantitative and qualitative findings on minority stress in Kenyan queer womxn and trans men

AbstractMinority stress can negatively affect sexual and gender minorities' health and well‐being. Little is known about how the factors associated with minority stress influence the lived experiences of sexual and gender minorities in settings where stigma and discrimination are highly prevalent, and the legal context is restrictive.We conducted an online survey among 335 Kenyan queer womxn and trans men collecting data on internalized homophobia, outness, and LGBT shame and pride and supplemented these with 33 interviews among three stakeholder groups.We found that our sample showed overall lower levels of outness, higher levels of shame, and higher levels of internalized homophobia compared to sexual and gender minorities in other studies. Our qualitative data showed that queer womxn and trans men lack a sense of belonging and frequently face violence from various perpetrators.Understanding how minority stress affects the lived experiences of queer womxn and trans men in any context is important to advance mental health and well‐being; it is even more crucial in contexts that restrict the thriving of minorities through legislation, religion, and culture. Advancing the knowledge on minority stress is essential to address the challenges minorities face in these settings.