| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
RESEARCH |
Vickie M. Mays is with the Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles. Susan D. Cochran is with the Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Vickie M. Mays, PhD, MSPH, Department of Psychology, UCLA, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 (e-mail: mays{at}ucla.edu).
Objectives. Recent studies suggest that lesbians and gay men are at higher risk for stress-sensitive psychiatric disorders than are heterosexual persons. We examined the possible role of perceived discrimination in generating that risk.
Methods. The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, a nationally representative sample of adults aged 25 to 74 years, surveyed individuals self-identifying as homosexual or bisexual (n = 73) or heterosexual (n = 2844) about their lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Also assessed were 1-year prevalence of depressive, anxiety, and substance dependence disorders; current psychologic distress; and self-rated mental health.
Results. Homosexual and bisexual individuals more frequently than heterosexual persons reported both lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Approximately 42% attributed this to their sexual orientation, in whole or part. Perceived discrimination was positively associated with both harmful effects on quality of life and indicators of psychiatric morbidity in the total sample. Controlling for differences in discrimination experiences attenuated observed associations between psychiatric morbidity and sexual orientation.
Conclusions. Higher levels of discrimination may underlie recent observations of greater psychiatric morbidity risk among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  D. H. Chae and K. L. Walters Racial Discrimination and Racial Identity Attitudes in Relation to Self-Rated Health and Physical Pain and Impairment Among Two-Spirit American Indians/Alaska Natives Am J Public Health, April 1, 2009; 99(S1): S144 - S151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. M. Herek Hate Crimes and Stigma-Related Experiences Among Sexual Minority Adults in the United States: Prevalence Estimates From a National Probability Sample J Interpers Violence, January 1, 2009; 24(1): 54 - 74. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
I. H. Meyer, J. Dietrich, and S. Schwartz Lifetime Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Suicide Attempts in Diverse Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations Am J Public Health, June 1, 2008; 98(6): 1004 - 1006. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. D. Cochran and V. M. Mays Physical Health Complaints Among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexual and Homosexually Experienced Heterosexual Individuals: Results From the California Quality of Life Survey Am J Public Health, November 1, 2007; 97(11): 2048 - 2055. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. P. Gruskin, G. L. Greenwood, M. Matevia, L. M. Pollack, and L. L. Bye Disparities in Smoking Between the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Population and the General Population in California Am J Public Health, August 1, 2007; 97(8): 1496 - 1502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. L. Corliss, M. D. Shankle, and M. B. Moyer Research, Curricula, and Resources Related to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health in US Schools of Public Health Am J Public Health, June 1, 2007; 97(6): 1023 - 1027. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. P. Poteat and D. L. Espelage Predicting Psychosocial Consequences of Homophobic Victimization in Middle School Students The Journal of Early Adolescence, May 1, 2007; 27(2): 175 - 191. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. C. Gee, A. Ryan, D. J. Laflamme, and J. Holt Self-Reported Discrimination and Mental Health Status Among African Descendants, Mexican Americans, and Other Latinos in the New Hampshire REACH 2010 Initiative: The Added Dimension of Immigration Am J Public Health, October 1, 2006; 96(10): 1821 - 1828. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. F. Garrity, S. H. Prewitt, M. Joosen, M. S. Tindall, J. M. Webster, M. L. Hiller, and C. G. Leukefeld Correlates of Subjective Stress Among Drug Court Clients Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol, June 1, 2006; 50(3): 269 - 279. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. McDermott Surviving in Dangerous Places: Lesbian Identity Performances in the Workplace, Social Class and Psychological Health Feminism Psychology, May 1, 2006; 16(2): 193 - 211. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. King and A. Bartlett What same sex civil partnerships may mean for health. J Epidemiol Community Health, March 1, 2006; 60(3): 188 - 191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. D. Otis, S. S. Rostosky, E. D. B. Riggle, and R. Hamrin Stress and relationship quality in same-sex couples Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, February 1, 2006; 23(1): 81 - 99. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Ramirez-Valles, S. Fergus, C. A. Reisen, P. J. Poppen, and M. C. Zea Confronting Stigma: Community Involvement and Psychological Well-Being Among HIV-Positive Latino Gay Men Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, February 1, 2005; 27(1): 101 - 119. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. M. Huebner, G. M. Rebchook, and S. M. Kegeles Experiences of Harassment, Discrimination, and Physical Violence Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men Am J Public Health, July 1, 2004; 94(7): 1200 - 1203. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. M. Mays, S. D. Cochran, and A. Zamudio HIV Prevention Research: Are We Meeting the Needs of African American Men Who Have Sex with Men? Journal of Black Psychology, February 1, 2004; 30(1): 78 - 105. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. M. Mathy and B. A. Lehmann Public Health Consequences of the Defense of Marriage Act for Lesbian and Bisexual Women: Suicidality, Behavioral Difficulties, and Psychiatric Treatment Feminism Psychology, February 1, 2004; 14(1): 187 - 194. [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. W. Roberts and R. L. Miller Intervening in the HIV/AIDS Crisis: The Role of Black Psychologists Journal of Black Psychology, February 1, 2004; 30(1): 138 - 160. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 I. JANSSEN, M. HANSSEN, M. BAK, R. V. BIJL, R. DE GRAAF, W. VOLLEBERGH, K. McKENZIE, and J. VAN OS Discrimination and delusional ideation The British Journal of Psychiatry, January 2, 2003; 182(1): 71 - 76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
