A Study to Understand How LGBTQIA Youth view Mental Health Services and What are their Recommendations for Improving the quality of the Services

Not yet recruiting

Conditions: Healthy

Registration Number: CTRI/2023/06/053436

Lead Sponsor: Kanishk Kala

Brief Summary: Significant disparities exist between the mental health needs of the LGBTQIA + community and their access of mental health services. Barriers exist at structural and individual levels that hinder the communityâ€™s access to the services. When the members are able to cross the barriers and reach the services, their experiences of using the services may be different from what they expected. The recommendations for improving these services often come from the experts in the field of mental health and the voices from the LGBTQIA+ community may become marginalized. The aim of this research is to understand the perception of LGBTQIA+ young adults about mental healthcare services and to utilize that understanding to generate collective ideas to improve the quality of the services. Participants will be recruited using purposive sampling using the help from Queer collectives/Youth organizations working in Tezpur, Assam. The sample will consist of 8 self-identified LGBTQ+ individuals living in Tezpur in the years 2022-2023 who have sought or wanted to seek mental health services, who are in the age range of 18 to 35 years. Data will be collected using focus group discussions using an action research framework. A series of 5-6 focus group discussions will explore the barriers and facilitators to access of mental health services and the experiences of using mental health services for LGBTQIA+ young adults. Then the group will plan an action based on collective ideas to improve the quality of these services, present the action in forms such as making a collective document, a booklet or holding an exhibition and reflect on the upon the research process. The data will be analyzed using thematic analysis. The results of the study will have implications in improving the access to and the quality of mental health services for LGBTQIA+ young adults.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Not Yet Recruiting

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 8

Inclusion Criteria

Individuals self-identifying as belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Individuals in the age range of 18 to 35 years.
Individuals who have thought of seeking help from mental health services or have sought help in the past or present.
Individuals who can communicate using Hindi or English language.

Exclusion Criteria

Individuals who self-report their current mental health related distress to be severe enough to not be able to participate in the study.
Individuals who are experiencing active psychotic symptoms.

Study & Design

Study Type: Observational

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
An Understanding of the barriers to access of mental health services, the experiences of using the services and recommendations for improving them for LGBTQIA young adults	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method

Trial Locations

Locations (1): Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH)
🇮🇳
Sonitpur, ASSAM, India
Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH)
🇮🇳Sonitpur, ASSAM, India
Kanishk Kala
Principal investigator
8826818789
k.kanishk8@gmail.com