I conducted an online survey using Qualtrics Software between November 2020 and May 2021 to acquire a better understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LGBTQIA+ individuals’ use of technology for interacting with their health care professionals and seeking health information and services. 

Due to restraints enacted by the University I participants were recruited through direct emails and digital flyers posted on local, university, regional, and national LGBTQIA+ organizations’, centers’, clubs’, and support groups’ websites, social media platforms and newsletters across the United States. There were 155 completed surveys.

 

Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from respondents over the age of 18 and self-identified as LGBTQIA+. Questions relating to their health information seeking behaviors, mental health and primary care access in relation to the pandemic and technology use were investigated. Not all questions were answered by each participant; questions may have been skipped based on their earlier responses.

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PROBLEMS THAT AROSE AND LESSONS LEARNED:

COVID-19 restrictions enacted by the university limited my methods for recruiting and research to virtual only. This impacted my results as only those with Internet access and who were comfortable to participate in a Zoom interview participated. 

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I did not limit respondents to the United States and I did not collect location in the survey, which I later regretted. Qualtrics collected the IP country of origin but that may not accurate due to VPNs and other things that may distort location. I did collect this information in the interviews.