A scoping review of the methods, content, and populations of rural LGBTQ health research since the new millennium

Veronika Croan; Hope A Owens; Renae Stephens; Katherine Kurtin; Chelsea Fu; Vinh Tang; Casie Plat; Mia Araiza; Margaret J Foster; Kyle M Holland; Joshua S Yudkin; Christopher Owens

doi:10.22605/RRH10258

Review Article

A scoping review of the methods, content, and populations of rural LGBTQ health research since the new millennium

AUTHORS

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Veronika Croan¹ BS, Research Technician

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Hope A Owens^1,2 BS

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Renae Stephens³ Undergraduate Student

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Katherine Kurtin⁴ BS

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Chelsea Fu⁴ BS

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Vinh Tang⁵

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Casie Plat⁵

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Mia Araiza⁶

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Margaret J Foster⁷ MPH

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Kyle M Holland⁷ BS

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Joshua S Yudkin² PhD

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Christopher Owens^1,2 PhD, Assistant Professor *

AFFILIATIONS

¹ Center for Health Equity and Evaluation Research, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

² Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

³ Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

⁴ Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

⁵ School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

⁶ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

⁷ Center for Systematic Reviews and Evidence Syntheses, University Libraries, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

ACCEPTED: 22 December 2025

Early Abstract:

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 U.S., 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 nonurban. 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 LGBTQ 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 LGBTQ 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.
Keywords: rural, LGBTQ, scoping review, United States.