#SafeHandsSafeHearts: A Peer-Delivered e-Health Intervention for Sexual and Gender Minority Adults amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Note: This is a hybrid event taking place at the University of Hong Kong

Featured speaker: Professor Peter A. Newman, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Faculty Associate, Joint Centre for Bioethics

Sexual and gender minority populations experience adverse social determinants of health that increase their vulnerability amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, public health responses operate from mainstream perspectives that fail to account for marginalization.

We developed a theory informed, peer-delivered eHealth intervention based on motivational interviewing and psychoeducation to reduce depression and anxiety and increase COVID-19 knowledge and protective behaviors among LGBTQ+ adults in Toronto. We used a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design, with generalized estimating equations and zero-truncated Poisson models to evaluate the effectiveness of the 3-session intervention on the four primary outcomes.

Among participants (n=202; median age, 27 years [IQR 23-32]) enrolled from March to November 2021, the intervention led to statistically significant reductions in the prevalence of clinically significant depressive and anxiety symptoms and increases in Covid-19 protective behaviors from baseline to postintervention. Implementation through community-based organizations by peer educators supports feasibility, acceptability, and the potential for scale-up in future waves of COVID-19 or other public health emergencies.

> Details and registration