In Scotland, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, non-binary and other sexual/gender minority folk) have poorer mental health outcomes and greater suicidal ideation and attempts than our heterosexual and cisgender (non-trans) peers.

 

Although pockets of research and service provision excellence exist, one of the key barriers to greater research activity, service development and policy change in Scotland is that we currently have no means to draw these together.

 

To these ends, we are developing an ‘Interdisciplinary LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Network for Scotland’ bringing together academic researchers, statutory and 3rd sector services, practitioners, policymakers and, crucially, LGBTQIA+ communities. We have received a generous research grant from the Royal Society of Edinburgh to set up and run our network for the first two years as part of their RSE Network Grant funding stream. This research network grant will establish the network, invite a wide range of participants to key partner events to develop then review the scope and format of the network, then support the network’s first 18 months, enabling us to support and develop interdisciplinary collaborative work and longer-term network funding.

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Currently we are setting up our website and running development events to determine who will be involved in the network and how it will run. Visit our website for further information and to find our what is happening now.

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Project Team

Professor Jamie Frankis (GCU) and Dr Hazel Marzetti are joint principal investigators of this RSE Research Network grant and founding members of Scotland's Interdisciplinary LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Network.

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