Graduate Student University of Southern California Glendale, California, United States
Abstract : Title: Beyond City Limits: A Spatial and Policy Analysis of LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention Resources in Rural Ohio
Track: Research & Innovation
IRB Approval: Not applicable (No human subjects)
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant should be able to: (1) Summarize existing suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ individuals in Ohio. (2) Identify and describe differences between urban and rural Ohio regions in availability and funding for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention resources. (3) Advocate for policy change to key stakeholders, such as federal, state, and local governments; nonprofit organizations and donors; and law enforcement agencies to promote health equity and reduce suicide in LGBTQ+ individuals.
Abstract:
LGBTQ+ individuals are at a disproportionate risk of experiencing suicide compared to the general population; in the U.S. alone, LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely as their peers to attempt suicide (CDC, 2024; The Trevor Project, 2024). There is significant research and programming surrounding LGBTQ+ suicide prevention, but many of these resources are concentrated in urban areas (MAP, 2019). There is little research on suicide prevention among rural LGBTQ+ individuals, which is problematic, as about 20% of this community lives in rural areas nationwide (MAP, 2019). While there is broader research on rural access to healthcare, this has not been well-studied among queer populations (Whitehead et al., 2016). The present work bridges research on rural healthcare and LGBTQ+ suicide prevention programming by using an analysis of resources in Ohio counties as a case study to understand how policy shapes the availability of targeted resources for the rural LGBTQ+ population.
Research Aims Guided by Minority Stress Theory (Meyer, 2003) and the Social Determinants of Health (WHO, 2024), this project has three research aims: (1) To evaluate the availability of LGBTQ+-specific suicide prevention resources in the state of Ohio and identify disparities in their distribution. (2) To analyze the public policies and funding supporting these resources by county. (3) To develop specific policy recommendations to key stakeholders in Ohio and beyond to inform future research and policy-making initiatives in a way that best supports the mental health needs of LGBTQ+ individuals in rural settings.
Methods This project presents a spatial analysis of existing data in Ohio on LGBTQ+ suicide prevention resources by population totals per county and distribution of policy-provided funding for such programming. Data on existing LGBTQ+ resources was gathered from public directories, including the SAMHSA (2024) Treatment Locator database and nonprofit organizations including The Trevor Project (2024). Search criteria included crisis interventions, inpatient and outpatient mental health centers, and addiction recovery programs. County-level population data was gathered from publicly-available census data reported by the World Population Review (2024). Policy and funding data was collected from resource websites directly (if disclosed), public health reports, or other government budgets where provided. Data analysis was conducted using ESRI (2024) ArcGIS Pro (version 3.3) and IBM (2022) SPSS Statistics (version 29). A spatial analysis was conducted to create a visual representation of the data in the form of two “heat maps” of Ohio: (1) geographic disparities of resource availability specific to the LGBTQ+ community and (2) geographic distribution of funding for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention programming. Additionally, correlation analyses were conducted to further explore the statistical relationship between LGBTQ+ population density, availability of tailored suicide prevention resources, and policy and funding support. To aid attendees in finding existing resources, a digital handout was created and linked using a QR code on the poster with LGBTQ+-affirming resources.
Results Results indicate a distribution of resources skewed toward urban areas, with Franklin County (holding Columbus) representing the greatest proportion of resources. This is closely followed by Cuyahoga County (holding Cleveland) and several other urban centers, including Summit County and Hamilton County. Many rural counties had zero local resources available, which further illustrated the divide between urban and rural regions of the state. In terms of policy, most resources identified receive federal funding to support low- and no-cost services (including national crisis services such as 988 and The Trevor Project) as well as outpatient treatment that accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal healthcare programs. However, correlation analyses reveal a notable discrepancy between the amount of federal funding allocated to urban resources versus rural resources, with much less being allocated toward rural counties. It should also be noted that while this project did not focus on the role of nonprofit philanthropy, several 501c(3) organizations rely heavily on public donations to operate their programming, offsetting the lack of federal funding. Future work may consider mapping these contributions.
Conclusions This project demonstrates the general lack of suicide prevention resources and policy support for LGBTQ+ individuals in rural Ohio. By highlighting the most underserved areas, key policy recommendations can be made. First, federal and state funding in the counties with the most disproportionate distribution of LGBTQ+ suicide prevention resources should be increased to allow for the expansion of targeted prevention programming. Attention should be given to allocating funding to in-person, phone, and video support resources to promote accessibility in a rural setting. Additionally, expanding participation in federal healthcare programs (eg., Medicaid, Medicare) for existing resources could allow for greater accessibility to treatment. By building on existing resources and supporting new ones, we can ensure a successful implementation of programming in the areas that need it most. This project sets the stage for future research to evaluate specific suicide rates and consider how effectively existing programming is functioning in Ohio by establishing a causal relationship. Additionally, further work may extend these findings beyond Ohio to evaluate their replicability nationwide and identify the areas in other states where further support is needed.
