Gays More Likely To Seek Counseling

Gay patients seek out mental health counseling more often than their heterosexual counterparts, researchers say.
More than twice as many lesbians, gays, and bisexuals reported receiving mental health treatment in the preceding year compared with heterosexual men and women, Susan D. Cochran, PhD, of UCLA School of Public Health, and colleagues reported online in BMC Psychiatry.
And homosexual women were more likely than homosexual men to seek counseling, they said.
"This study builds upon previous epidemiological studies that have shown higher prevalences of mental health or alcohol and drug disorders among sexual minority populations," the researchers said.
Previous research has found that lesbians, gays, and bisexuals use mental health services more frequently than do heterosexuals.
To draw that picture in more detail, the researchers surveyed 2,074 California residents ages 18 to 64, oversampling for sexual minorities.
They found that 48.5% of homosexuals reported receiving treatment in the preceding year, compared with 22.5% of heterosexuals.
A greater proportion of gay and bisexual men reported receiving treatment, compared with heterosexual men (42.5% versus 17.1%).
Similarly, more lesbian and bisexual women received treatment during that time, compared with heterosexual women (55.3% versus 27.1%).
But lesbians were more likely than gay men to seek counseling. These women had a 2.08-fold increased likelihood of getting treatment, while gay and bisexual men had a 1.57-fold increased likelihood compared with heterosexual women.
Heterosexual men, on the other hand, had about half the likelihood of seeking treatment as heterosexual women.
The researchers said it's well known that women generally tend to seek out mental health services more than men do.
In their survey, overall, 33.8% of women reported receiving treatment in the preceding year compared with 24.5% of men.
Ethnic minorities were less likely to seek out mental health or substance use services, possibly because they aren't familiar with what types of services are available, or because of a greater stigma attached to use of these services by their families and communities, the researchers said.
They said sexual minorities may be more likely to seek out help because they're more exposed to discrimination, violence, or other stressful life events.
The fact that homosexuality has historically been categorized as a mental health problem may contribute as well.
And gay and lesbian communities may promote the norm that therapeutic services are appropriate places for coping with the stresses associated with being a sexual minority.
The authors noted that their study may be limited in its generalizability because they surveyed only Californians.
Further research is needed, they said, on how psychological distress, impairments in functioning, and social norms influence the way people seek treatment, and how these factors are different for men and women of all sexual orientations.
They also called for more research into the effects of treating people who don't have diagnosable disorders, as well as studies of the factors that encourage sexual orientation minorities to seek treatment, in order to improve delivery to those who underutilize it.
from MedPage Today