Elizabeth McDermott is a Professor of Health Inequality at Lancaster University, in England. Her research considers mental health inequality, with a focus on gender, social class and young people.

Elizabeth McDermott
Alma materLancaster University
Scientific career
InstitutionsLancaster University
ThesisHidden injuries, happy lives? : the influence of lesbian identity and social class on wellbeing (2002)

Early life and education

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McDermott earned her doctoral degree at the Lancaster University, where she studied the influence of lesbian identity and social class on wellbeing.[1] She was a postdoctoral researcher on a project that looked to understand how people affected by cancer understood end of life issues.[2]

Research and career

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In 2006 McDermott joined the University of York as an Assistant Professor.[3] She returned to Lancaster University in 2013. From 2014 McDermott led the Department of Health and Social Care study into LGBT youth suicide.[4][5] The research programme looked to understand why LGBT young people have a higher risk of suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.[5] The programme came to be known as Queer Futures,[6] and identified that 70% of young people have experienced discrimination or bullying related to their sexual orientation.[7] She also identified that 4 out of 5 young people hid their sexual orientation or gender identity, and those that hide their gender identity are almost two times as likely to self-harm.[8][7] The study contributed to the SAGE Encyclopaedia of LGBTQ Studies.[9] The LBGT youth suicide project expanded into the National Institute for Health Research Queer Futures 2,[10] which looks to improve the mental health provision for LGBT young people.[11] Queer Futures 2 partnered with The Blueprint study, which looked at community-based mental health provision.[12][13] McDermott has worked with the National Health Service to implement findings based on her research, including LGBT awareness training, remarking that ‘We need to provide safe and non-judgemental environments for young people to talk about their sexualities, and mental health services outside the clinical environment’.[14]

McDermot serves on the board of trustees of the Consortium of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Voluntary and Community Organisations.[15]

Selected publications

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Her publications include;

  • McDermott, Elizabeth; Roen, Katrina; Scourfield, Jonathan (2008-11-01). "Avoiding shame: young LGBT people, homophobia and self-destructive behaviours". Culture, Health & Sexuality. 10 (8): 815–829. doi:10.1080/13691050802380974. ISSN 1369-1058. PMID 18975229. S2CID 2215912.
  • McDermott, Elizabeth; Graham, Hilary (2005-03-01). "Resilient Young Mothering: Social Inequalities, Late Modernity and the 'Problem' of 'Teenage' Motherhood". Journal of Youth Studies. 8 (1): 59–79. doi:10.1080/13676260500063702. ISSN 1367-6261. S2CID 144485496.
  • McDermott, Elizabeth (2006-05-01). "Surviving in Dangerous Places: Lesbian Identity Performances in the Workplace, Social Class and Psychological Health". Feminism & Psychology. 16 (2): 193–211. doi:10.1177/0959-353506062977. ISSN 0959-3535. S2CID 145145743.
  • McDermott, Elizabeth (8 April 2016). Queer youth, suicide and self-harm : troubled subjects, troubling norms. Roen, Katrina. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire. ISBN 978-1-137-00345-4. OCLC 946358035.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

References

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  1. ^ McDermott, Elizabeth; University of Lancaster (2002). Hidden injuries, happy lives?: the influence of lesbian identity and social class on wellbeing. Lancaster: University of Lancaster. OCLC 498594891.
  2. ^ "What are the views of people affected by cancer and other illnesses about end of life issues? professional and patient perspectives. - Research Portal | Lancaster University". www.research.lancs.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  3. ^ "Dr. Elizabeth McDermott - Research Database, The University of York". pure.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  4. ^ "Understanding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) - Health Sciences, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  5. ^ a b "LGBT Youth Suicide Prevention Project V1". Health Research Authority. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  6. ^ "Study aims to reduce self harm and suicide among LGBT young people". PinkNews. 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  7. ^ a b "Resources". Queer Futures. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  8. ^ Dean, Erin (2016). "LGBT youth missing out on support". Nursing Standard. 30 (23): 22–3. doi:10.7748/ns.30.23.22.s22. PMID 26838632. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  9. ^ The Sage encyclopedia of LGBTQ studies. Goldberg, Abbie E. Thousand Oaks, California. 13 April 2016. ISBN 978-1-4833-7131-3. OCLC 950971839.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. ^ "Project to improve mental health services for LGBTQ+ young people". www.lancaster.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  11. ^ Cultivate. "Why?". Queer Futures 2. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  12. ^ "Home". Blueprint. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  13. ^ Cultivate. "Team". Queer Futures 2. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  14. ^ "Oodles of evidence to lead change | The Psychologist". thepsychologist.bps.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  15. ^ "Meet The Board". www.consortium.lgbt. Retrieved 2020-06-26.