Simon Ouellet, Hannah Kia, John L. Oliffe, and Olivier Ferlatte have authored a new publication titled « Help-Seeking for Suicidality among Rural LGBTQ+ Youth: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study », published in Qualitative Health Research journal.
This article presents the first study to propose a theory explaining how LGBTQ+ youth living in rural areas seek support when experiencing suicidal ideation. These youth go through a dynamic process influenced by the social, community, and structural realities of rural life.
This study is based on grounded theory, a qualitative approach aimed at developing a theory based on the experiences of the young participants.
A total of 15 LGBTQ+ youth aged 16 to 25 living in rural areas of Quebec participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences seeking support when dealing with suicidal thoughts.
Several processes for seeking help emerged:
- Hiding one's LGBTQ+ identity and suicidal thoughts: Social norms prevalent in many rural communities led several young participants to hide both their LGBTQ+ identity and their distress related to suicide. This dual concealment often delayed their search for support and contributed to their isolation.
- Coping with the system's barriers : Many young people faced systemic barriers to accessing support, particularly formal support. Geographic distance, limited availability of services, and some professionals’ lack of understanding of LGBTQ+ realities made it more difficult to access appropriate support.
- Building bridges to support: Faced with these obstacles, the young participants developed various strategies to access the support they needed. Peers, online communities, trusted adults, and community organizations played a vital role in providing a safe, supportive, and accessible space.
The Theory Map of Suicidality Help-Seeking among Rural LGBTQ+ Youth shows that seeking support is a cyclical process, shaped by the constant interaction between the constraints of the rural context and the strategies developed by young people.
This theory offers concrete strategies for designing suicide prevention interventions that are better tailored to the realities of LGBTQ+ youth living in rural areas. To read the full article, click here.