A look at “Assessing sexual and gender identity interaction with the relationship between caregiving and adverse mental health outcomes” by G. Thomas Wilson II, Gilbert Gimm and Rodman Turpin (2026)
Caring for an ageing parent, a poorly partner or a friend in need is one of the most loving things anyone can do. It can also be utterly exhausting. Now add the extra layers that many LGBTQIA+ people carry: strained family relationships, past discrimination, and worries about how health and care services will treat them or the person they care for. This large American study asks whether being both a carer and LGBTQIA+ takes a particular toll.
What they found
The researchers analysed data from a major US national health survey, covering more than 32,000 adults in 2023. They compared rates of diagnosed depression and frequent poor mental health (14 or more bad days in the past month) across groups, by whether people were caregivers and by their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The headlines:
- Caregivers in general had poorer mental health than non-caregivers.
- LGBTQIA+ people in general had poorer mental health than heterosexual, cisgender people.
- But the combination was especially tough. The highest rate of depression was among transgender caregivers, around four times that of heterosexual non-caregivers. Next came transgender non-caregivers and gay cisgender caregivers.
- Trans, gay and bisexual caregivers also reported the most days of poor mental health.
- Statistically, LGBTQIA+ identity seemed to amplify the mental health impact of caregiving, not just add to it.
The authors suggest this may reflect minority stress layered on top of caregiving stress. They mention possibilities such as family estrangement leaving people with less support, and having to navigate care systems that may not be affirming.
A grain of glitter ✨
This study’s big strength is its size. It’s based on a large, well-established national survey, and it’s one of very few to look at LGBTQIA+ carers at all. But a few caveats apply.
It’s a snapshot, so it can’t tell us whether caregiving worsens mental health, whether people already struggling are more likely to end up caring, or both. The reasons behind the findings, such as minority stress and estrangement, are plausible but weren’t directly measured. The number of transgender participants was relatively small, so those striking figures come with wider uncertainty. Only some US states included the relevant questions, and the findings may not translate directly to the UK. And “depression” here means having been diagnosed, which depends on access to healthcare.
Why this matters
If you’re an LGBTQIA+ person caring for someone, whether a parent, partner, chosen family member or friend, please don’t forget about you. The strain you feel is real, and this research suggests it may be heavier than for many other carers. Therapy can offer a space that’s just for you: to offload, to grieve, to set boundaries and to remember your own needs. And it’s worth seeking out carer support that’s genuinely LGBTQIA+ inclusive.
Even the most devoted unicorn can’t pour from an empty glitter jar. Topping yourself up isn’t selfish; it’s essential.