Grant: Operating Grant: Making progress in women's mental health in the Province of Ont

Sexual minority women, including lesbian and bisexual women, are at high risk for depression and other mental health outcomes. Results of preliminary research examining patterns of mental health system access among lesbian, bisexual, and trans (LBT) women indicate that despite elevated rates of mental health service use, LBT women report high rates of unmet need for mental health care. Given the limited available data, it cannot be determined whether this high rate of unmet need reflects a level of need exceeding the capacity of existing services, or ineffectiveness of the services accessed. This project will improve understanding of the barriers to effective depression treatment for sexual and gender minority women in Ontario and ultimately facilitate the removal of barriers, improving access to prompt and effective diagnosis and treatment. A combination of qualitative, quantitative, and community-based research approaches will be used to: describe the barriers to effective depression treatment encountered by LBT women in Ontario; compare the mental health service utilization patterns of LBT and heterosexual women in Ontario; and use the knowledge gained to inform mental health service delivery to reduce disparities in the prevalence of depression for these communities. Five hundred LBT women will be recruited to complete a survey assessing rates of depression and mental health service use over a 12-month interval. Thirty-six LBT women who meet criteria for depression will be interviewed about their mental health service use experiences. A comparison group of 400 heterosexual women will complete the survey and 12 women who meet the criteria for depression in the past year will participate in an interview. This will be the first study to describe the barriers to depression treatment encountered by LBT women in Ontario and translating this new-found knowledge to action will transform the lives of many.