Evidence indicates that race/ethnicity-, sexual orientation, and gender-related discrimination is linked to increased harmful cardiometabolic health behaviors (CHB; e.g., sleep, physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol use). However, there is limited research demonstrating the influence of online discrimination, a critical social determinate of health, on CHB among potentially vulnerable groups of Sexual and Gender Minorities.

This 4-year NIH funded (1R01HL173882-01A1) study will illuminate how discrimination operates in online environments and physical spaces, which can be used to better distill risk and inform targeted mediums for harmful CHB prevention interventions among Sexual and Gender Minorities.

Social Media Discrimination, Cardiometabolic Health Behaviors, and Social Protections among Sexual and Gender Minorities

Aim 1a Determine the association between direct daily exposure to online discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, and gender in one’s social media feed and the primary outcomes of poor sleep, physical inactivity, alcohol and tobacco use among diverse, young SGM. 1b. Determine the association between exposure to place based discriminatory climate and harmful CHB among SGM.  We hypothesize that greater discrimination exposure will be associated with poorer CHB.

Aim 2 Assess the association between online discrimination and place based discriminatory climate on secondary outcomes of daily mood and stress. We hypothesize that greater discrimination exposure will be associated with lower mood and higher stress.

Aim 3 Explore social protections (e.g., social cohesion, online supportive community engagement) that may mitigate the association between exposure to online and place-based discrimination, harmful CHB, mood and stress among young, diverse SGM.