Dimensions of Sexual Orientation and the Prevalence of Mood and Anxiety Disorders in the United States
By Wendy B. Bostwick, C. Boyd, T. Hughes, S. McCabe. American Journal of Public Health, 2009
788 citations recorded by the source corpus.
Objectives We used data from a nationally representative sample to examine the associations among 3 dimensions of sexual orientation (identity, attraction, and behavior), lifetime and past-year mood and anxiety disorders, and sex. Methods We analyzed data from wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Results Mental health outcomes differed by sex, dimension of sexual orientation, and sexual minority group. Whereas a lesbian, gay, or bisexual identity was associated with higher odds of any mood or anxiety disorder for both men and women, women reporting only same-sex sexual partners in their lifetime had the lowest rates of most disorders. Higher odds of any lifetime mood or anxiety disorder were more consistent and pronounced among sexual minority men than among sexual minority women. Finally, bisexual behavior conferred the highest odds of any mood or anxiety disorder for both males and females. Conclusions Findings point to mental health disparities among some, but not all, sexual minority groups and emphasize the importance of including multiple measures of sexual orientation in population-based health studies.
Subfields: Clinical Psychology, Infectious Diseases, Social Psychology
View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/51ec1adb569253626b22716cc3b695b622520c5b
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In Clinical Psychology
In Infectious Diseases
In Social Psychology
- M. Plöderl
- P. Tremblay
- M. Hatzenbuehler
- M. Paz Galupo
- Johanna L. Ramirez
- Susan D. Cochran
- Vickie M. Mays
- Mark S Friedman
Citations in the corpus
- Multiple minority stress: The role of proximal and distal stress on mental health outcomes among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color (2019, background): “…2010; Herek, 2004; Wandrey, Mosack, & Moore, 2015), and are at an increased risk for developing mood and anxiety disorders and substance use when compared to lesbian and gay people (Bostwick et al., 2010; Feinstein & Dyar, 2017; Ross et al., 2016; Ross, Salway, et al., 2018; Salway et al., 2018).”
- Mental health of sexual minorities. A systematic review (2015, methodology): “However, a very complex pattern emerged where elevated levels were reported across SO dimensions among men and women except in women identifying as unsure, and women homosexually attracted or behaving so (Bostwick et al., 2010).”
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender-related content in undergraduate medical education. (2011, neutral): “46 Public (n = 69) 3 (2-5) [0-24] 2 (0-3) [0-10] 5 (3-8) [0-30]”
- Suicide and Suicide Risk in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations: Review and Recommendations (2010, background): “The finding that exclusive same-sex sexual behavior and attraction are associated with positive mental health outcomes in women, but not men (Bostwick et al., 2010), suggests that women may be protected by greater latitude and tolerance in regard to female sexuality.”