LGBTQ+ Students Face Higher Rates of Depression and Anxiety, Major Study Finds

A major study involving nearly 18,000 LGBTQ+ university students has identified substantial inequalities in mental health, with discrimination associated with significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Researchers also found that some students were avoiding medical care because they feared being treated unfairly.

The research was conducted by scientists from Columbia University and Boston University and published in Behavioral Medicine in October 2026. It analysed responses from 17,942 LGBTQ+ students aged between 18 and 24, providing a detailed picture of discrimination and healthcare experiences across American universities.

What nearly 18,000 students reported

The study used responses from the 2024–2025 Healthy Minds Study, covering 119 colleges and universities across 34 American states. Approximately one in ten LGBTQ+ participants reported experiencing discrimination on campus during the previous year.

Students reporting discrimination were 84% more likely to meet screening criteria for depression and 87% more likely to meet criteria for anxiety. They were also 78% more likely to report experiencing suicidal thoughts during the previous year.

These figures describe relative differences between groups rather than the percentage of all students experiencing each outcome. The research was observational, meaning it identifies associations without establishing that discrimination directly caused every reported mental health difficulty.

More than half of the students included in the research met screening criteria for depression. Anxiety was also common, affecting nearly half of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer participants and more than half of transgender and nonbinary participants.

The findings also identified differences in suicidal thoughts. Nearly one in five lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer students reported experiencing them during the previous year, compared with more than one in four transgender and nonbinary students.

Screening criteria are not the same as a formal clinical diagnosis. Nevertheless, the findings suggest substantial mental health needs among the students who participated.

Why were some students avoiding healthcare?

Access to medical care emerged as another important concern. Nearly 5% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer students reported avoiding needed healthcare because they feared discrimination, compared with 13% of transgender and nonbinary students.

Researchers also found that transgender and nonbinary participants were more than twice as likely to report having been denied healthcare. Among LGBTQ+ students, denial of healthcare was associated with a more than 200% higher likelihood of suicidal thoughts.

The study examined these experiences separately from interpersonal discrimination on campus. This distinction is important because students may encounter barriers in healthcare settings even when their experiences at university are different.

The findings do not establish that denial of healthcare directly caused suicidal thoughts. However, the association suggests that access to appropriate medical services deserves attention alongside conventional mental health support.

What could universities do differently?

More than half of the students had sought mental health counselling, suggesting that many were already engaging with professional support services. Researchers identified counselling as an opportunity to recognise psychological distress and connect students with appropriate healthcare.

However, providing counselling alone cannot address discrimination or difficulties accessing medical treatment. Universities also need effective reporting procedures, appropriately trained staff and services that recognise the different experiences of LGBTQ+ students.

The study highlights why trust is important when young people seek support. A service may be available, but students who fear discrimination may still hesitate to use it.

What does the research mean for British students?

The study was conducted in the United States, where healthcare arrangements, university policies and legal protections differ from those in Britain. Its statistics should therefore not be presented as measurements of mental health or discrimination among UK university students.

Nevertheless, the findings raise questions relevant to British higher education. Universities have responsibilities to support student wellbeing, respond to discrimination and ensure that students can access appropriate services.

The research also demonstrates why LGBTQ+ students should not automatically be treated as a single group when planning support. Differences in reported healthcare access, discrimination and mental health outcomes suggest that services need to recognise a range of experiences.

For British universities, the findings offer a reason to examine whether existing systems are accessible and trusted by the students who need them. Further UK research would help establish how closely these American findings reflect experiences in British higher education.

Research and sources

Sarah McKetta and colleagues, Columbia University and Boston University, Behavioral Medicine, October 2026. Original research findings.