LGBTQ Health and Wellbeing in China: A Trend Analysis of English- and Chinese-Language Research, 2011–2018

Research on LGBTQ populations has dramatically increased in both Western and non-Western countries over the past several decades. Attempts to synthesize this research have largely focused on studies conducted in the West. We conducted a review of LGBTQ research in China to elucidate trends and gaps in the literature and to provide a foundation for future research. We searched the literature to identify studies that focused on LGBTQ people in China using PsycINFO and reviews of article titles and abstracts in 15 English-language LGBTQ-specific journals published between 2011 and 2018. We used the Wanfang database to identify Chinese-language LGBTQ research articles published in any journal between 2011 and 2018. Each article was coded by topic, study type, province, and sample. These searches yielded 798 LGBTQ research studies conducted in China between 2011 and 2018. HIV/AIDS, sexuality, and LGBTQ-specific issues (e.g., coming out) have been most frequently studied. Most of the articles focused on sexual minority men (69.5%), with smaller proportions focused on sexual minority women (15.5%) or transgender individuals (2.6%). The disparity was reduced after excluding studies on HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. The geographic distribution of studies was uneven; most were conducted in economically developed areas. This study identified gaps and trends in LGBTQ research in China and highlighted priority and under-researched topics to guide future LGBTQ research. More research on these understudied populations and topics will contribute to understanding of LGBTQ populations.