WIDENING THE SPECTRUM: DIFFICULTIES FACED BY LGBTQ+ INDIVIDUALS IN INDIA A REVIEW ARTICLE

Introduction: Over the past decade, there has been considerable discourse regarding the obstacles that the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and others) community faces in India. Despite these efforts, they continue to experience significant health inequities. Objective: In this content review, we aimed to answer five questions about the mental health of LGBTQIA+ individuals. These questions include the current state of research on the topic, the factors that lead to mental health issues, the role of existing health facilities in addressing these factors, proposed interventions for this group, and potential areas for future research over the next decade. Method: We explored the topic of mental health, which includes an individuals thoughts, feelings, and actions. Our search for relevant literature involved online journal databases, archives of leading journals, websites of prominent LGBTQIA+ organizations, and cross-referencing of papers. We analysed the data on problems faced by LGBTQ+ review articles on PubMed in the last decade. A total of 60 articles were screened, lesser number of review articles highlights the importance of increased research in this field of humanity. Conclusion: Studies have shown that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience higher rates of mental health concerns, possibly due to the adapted minority stress model. Researchers have explored factors related to mental well-being, societal attitudes, and personal experiences. However, there is a lack of intervention studies, and certain subgroups within the LGBTQIA+ community have been underrepresented in research. Identifying these gaps has led to recommendations for future research in the next decade.