2026/02/20 by Veronika Croan, Hope A Owens, Renae Stephens +9 · 1 voice
paper · doi:10.22605/rrh10258
openalex publication_date 2026/02/20 · openalex created_date 2026/02/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
INTRODUCTION: This scoping review mapped the population characteristics, methodologies, content, and publishing trends of primary research focused on rural LGBTQ individuals since the year 2000. METHODS: We conducted a search using Academic Search Ultimate, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO and uploaded the relevant citations into Covidence. Our inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed journal articles that presented primary data, were published in English since 2000, recruited rural LGBTQ populations in the US, and reported health-related dependent variables by rural LGBTQ populations. From an initial pool of 13,284 articles, 167 met the inclusion criteria after title/abstract and full-text review. RESULTS: Of the 167 included articles, the majority focused on sexual minority men and adults, and used nationwide samples. Over 80% of these studies were formative in nature. Over half of the articles recruited participants through venue or organization sampling or advertisements on social networking apps. In 30% of articles, investigators self-described the area or population as non-urban. Half of the studies offered individual compensation for participation. The predominant content area was sexual health. Approximately half of the articles were published in journals dedicated to LGBTQIA+ health/studies or HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. CONCLUSION: The findings from this review have the potential to inform future research, program development, and funding priorities related to rural LGBTQIA+ health locally and globally. We recommend that future studies diversify populations and ages, broaden health topics beyond sexual health, and integrate effectiveness-implementation hybrid designs to ensure that interventions are evidence-based and acceptable, and sustainable in rural contexts.