Supporting LGBTIQA+ communities in small rural settings: a case study of health promotion in a community health service.

Abstract

People from LGBTIQA+ communities living in rural areas experience significant disparities across a range of health and wellbeing indicators, high levels of stigma and discrimination, and difficulty accessing inclusive health and support services. This article discusses a targeted health promotion intervention designed to build supportive health and social programs to address these problems. We describe the initial needs assessment undertaken to inform the intervention, the role and activities of the health promotion officer funded through the program, and present evaluation data on program outcomes. The article demonstrates that modest funding for health promotion can make a positive contribution to connecting and supporting individuals in a small regional community, leading to better health and wellbeing outcomes.