Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40238558›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

Navigating Digital Geographies and Trauma Contexts: Conceptions of Online Communities and Experiences Among LGBTQ+ People During COVID-19.

Rachel M Schmitz, Jennifer Tabler, Ruby Charak, Gabby Gomez, Reagan E Cole, Joshua J Schmitz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Rachel M SchmitzDepartment of Sociology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3173-706X
Jennifer TablerSociology Program, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2256-327X
Ruby CharakDepartment of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5806-6884
Gabby GomezDepartment of Sociology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Reagan E ColeDepartment of Sociology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Joshua J SchmitzEngineering Department, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA.

Funding

College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University N/A
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic shaped challenges for marginalized groups. Specifically, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ+) people experienced community-building constraints, notably in predominantly rural regions. People are also navigating digital geographies, or online social environments, in novel ways to develop virtual communities in the face of prejudice, discrimination, and potential trauma. Through a minority coping approach, the present study explored LGBTQ+ people's experiences navigating the dynamics of digital geographies during the pandemic while residing in socially conservative, highly rural physical spaces where they may be exposed to vicarious trauma. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews, data were gathered from 43 LGBTQ+ identifying individuals between 19 and 59 years old (M/SD = 27.7/9.2) between October 2020 and January 2021. Nearly 14% identified as transgender, nonbinary, or queer individuals, 35% as bisexual individuals, and 21% as people of color including Hispanic/Latina/o. Thematic analysis of the narratives described participants' exposures to online discrimination and stigmatization of minority groups (racial and/or sexual/gender minority groups) during the COVID-19 pandemic, institutional constraints to identity expression, utilizing social technologies to manage their identities, and negotiating digital strategies to promote social ties. Findings emphasize improving marginalized people's experiences with digital geographies through identity affirmation and community relationship-building to offset potentially traumatic experiences. Furthermore, service providers can utilize the findings to tailor effective virtual LGBTQ+ community programming to support underserved, marginalized populations.

Indexed as

COVID-19Sexual and Gender MinoritiesAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsSARS-CoV-2Young Adultcommunitydigital geographiesLGBTQ+online traumasocial technology

Identifiers

PMID40238558
PMCPMC11942405

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.