A Social-Ecological Systems Understanding of Risk & Protective Factors for Loneliness in LGBTQ+ Adults: A Scoping Review

LGBTQ+ adults are a marginalized population that often experiences high levels of loneliness associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes. However, designing effective interventions can be hindered by the complexity and interdependence of loneliness risk and protective factors. A scoping review was conducted to map the scientific understanding of loneliness risk and protective factors for LGBTQ+ adults to theoretical frameworks that propose a causal mechanism for how social connection as a human basic need can directly impact health outcomes. The review identified relevant research literature (1983-2024) in seven clinical and social science databases. A total of 44 articles were included in the review, resulting in four distinct categories of risk or protective social environment systems. These categories summarized the relationship of 113 social environment factors with loneliness outcomes as forms of social isolation, geographic isolation, social support, or distal stressors. This may ease the burden of understanding how to intervene on the deficiency of quality in social environments that drive loneliness in LGBTQ+ adults.