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LGBTQ+ college students who experience discrimination are significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and to avoid needed health care, according to a new national study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. The findings underscore the impact of discrimination on student mental health during a critical stage of life. The results are published in the journal Behavioral Medicine.

The study, based on nearly 18,000 LGBTQ+ students at 119 colleges and universities across 34 states, is the largest to examine how discrimination affects the mental health and health care experiences of LGBTQ+ college students. It is also the first to assess these associations during and immediately following a national election year, a period marked by heightened political debate over LGBTQ+ rights.

"Addressing discrimination among college students is essential to support student well-being, reduce mental health disparities, and ensure all students have equitable access to care," said Sarah McKetta, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia Mailman and co-first author.

Researchers found that one in 10 LGBTQ+ students experienced discrimination on campus during the previous year. Those students were 84% more likely to meet criteria for depression; 87% more likely to meet criteria for anxiety; and 78% more likely to report suicidal thoughts in the past year.

Students who experienced discrimination in the form of health care or service denial faced even greater risks.

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