Mental health and suicidal risk in lesbian, gay and bisexual population

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S596-S597
Author(s):  
P. Azevedo ◽  
J. Vitória ◽  
A. Norton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Internalized Homophobia ◽  
Suicidal Risk ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
And Bisexual

IntroductionNowadays, the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) community still suffers from prejudice and social stigma, including from medical professionals.Thus, it is urgent to draw attention to this population since these individuals have an increased risk of mental disorders, substance abuse and dependence, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt or complete suicide.AimsTo underline the prevalence of mental disorders and increased suicide risk in the LGB population.ObjectivesTo summarize the latest literature about this field.MethodsA brief review of the latest literature was performed on PubMed using the keywords “mental health”, “suicidal risk”, “LGB population”.ResultsLGB individuals appear to be at increased risk of mental disorders and suicidal behavior than heterosexuals. According to Meyer, they are exposed to what is called the minority stress: proximal, depending on the subject and related to fear of rejection and internalized homophobia and distal, regardless of the individual including prejudice, social stress, social exclusion (including their own families) and violence.The odds of attempting suicide are approximately 2 to 7 times higher for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGBs) than for heterosexuals.ConclusionsMinority stress related to prejudice and stigma against LGB people has a significant risk that can be related to suicide ideation and attempt.The higher rate of many psychiatric conditions noted in this community underscores the need for clinicians to provide nonjudgmental care and approachable environment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Identity, Stress, and Resilience in Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals of Color

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 442-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan H. Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
People Of Color ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Competing Hypotheses ◽  
And Bisexual ◽  
Core Questions ◽  
Racial Ethnic

The author addresses two issues raised in Moradi, DeBlaere, and Huang’s Major Contribution to this issue: the intersection of racial/ethnic and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identities and the question of stress and resilience. The author expands on Moradi et al.’s work, hoping to encourage further research. On the intersection of identities, the author notes that LGB identities among people of color have been construed as different from the identities of White LGB persons, purportedly because of an inherent conflict between racial/ethnic and gay identities.The author suggests that contrary to this, LGB people of color can have positive racial/ethnic and LGB identities. On the question of stress and resilience, hypotheses have suggested that compared with White LGB individuals, LGB people of color have both more stress and more resilience. The author addresses the competing hypotheses within the larger perspective of minority stress theory, noting that the study of stress and resilience among LGB people of color is relevant to core questions about social stress as a cause of mental disorders.

scholarly journals Psychiatric Morbidity among Spouses of Men with Alcohol Dependence

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (01) ◽  
pp. 010-014
Author(s):  
Vishal Shah ◽  
Prakash Behere ◽  
K Mishra ◽  
Animesh Sharma ◽  
Kanika Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Alcohol Dependence ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Suicidal Risk ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Self Harm

Abstract Objective: To assess the common mental disorders among spouses of men with alcohol dependence and to compare common mental disorders among spouses of alcoholics and nonalcoholics. Study design: This was a cross-sectional controlled study. We evaluated 50 cases (including the indoor and outdoor patients) whose husbands were diagnosed as having alcohol dependence and 50 controls whose husbands had no alcohol dependence but some other illness, admitted to our rural medical college using the global mental health assessment tool-primary care (GMHAT-PC) version including the sociodemographic profile sheet and history of patient's illness. Results: Anxiety (16%) and depression (36%) were higher in wives of alcohol-dependent men. Stress was higher (6%) in cases as compared with controls (4%). When comparing diagnosis and age-wise distribution, depression was higher in cases (28%) as compared with controls (14%) in age group of 31 to 40. There were 23 (46%) out of 50 spouses of men with alcohol dependence syndrome, whose diagnosis by GMHAT-PC came out as no mental illness; still they had some score in the anxiety rating, but this score was not enough for them to be diagnosed under anxiety disorder. Even in controls, anxiety score to a certain extent was present in 26% spouses. The GMHAT-PC self-harm scoring system was used to assess the risk of self-harm. It was found that three (6%) spouses had mild suicidal risk and one (2%) had severe suicidal risk, whereas in controls, it was absent. Conclusion: Alcohol abuse is associated with an increased risk of committing criminal offences. An alcoholic can disrupt the routine family life. The women are primary caregivers in most of these cases. Therefore, understanding mental health status of spouses of alcoholics is of utmost importance. It can help in early detection of psychiatric morbidities and help in early intervention.

scholarly journals Setting the scene: controversies on trends in mental health among adolescents in the Nordic countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Eriksson ◽  
A M Arnasson ◽  
N Lyyra ◽  
K R Madsen ◽  
T Torsheim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Daily Hassles ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Advanced Analysis

Abstract At present there are different positions regarding trends in adolescent mental health. Can we trust trend data on the mental health among adolescents in the Nordic countries? Some question the trustworthiness of adolescent self-reports, which describe ordinary daily hassles as health complaints, which cannot be interpreted as signs of mental disorders. In addition, today there is a more open climate for talking about mental issues, which can lead to an overestimation of the prevalence of mental disorders. Statistics on mental health services statistics report increased psychopharmaceutic prescriptions as well as consumption of professional care. Such data argues for increased governmental investment in adolescent mental health services. Is this pattern due to increased availability of mental health services and/or increased prevalence of mental health problems in the adolescent population? A concern is that data availability influences policymaking and allocation of resources. If there is an emphasis on self-reported data from adolescents that may an increased risk of medicalization of young people's dealing with their daily lives. If on the other hand the reported problems among young people is disregarded, this would be against the UN Child Convention. The survey data has important qualities especially if the data is analysed and reported properly. The validation of survey measure has been done both regarding psychometric quality and content validity. Advanced analysis of the data can draw a more nuanced picture. Moreover, some screening instruments have been developed as a first step towards making diagnosis. Instead the HBSC surveys ask boys and girls about their health and well-being, social environment and health behaviours. HBSC uses findings at national and international levels to gain new insights into young people's health and wellbeing, understand the social determinants of health, and inform policy and practice to improve young people's lives.

Association Between Overt and Subtle Experiences of Discrimination and Violence and Mental Health in Homosexual and Bisexual Men in Mexico

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626051989842
Author(s):  
Juan C. Mendoza-Perez ◽  
Luis Ortiz-Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Gender Nonconformity ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
And Bisexual

The aim of this study was to determine whether the experiences of direct or subtle forms of discrimination and violence are associated with mental health in Mexican gay, homosexual, and bisexual (GHB) men. A cross-sectional survey was conducted online; the sample consisted of 4,827 GHB men. Ten forms of overt and subtle sexual orientation–based discrimination and violence (SO-DV) were assessed. Linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between SO-DV experiences and mental health outcomes. Physical violence was reported less frequently than the other forms of SO-DV. As the number of settings in which SO-DV were experienced increased, a stronger association with negative mental health outcomes was observed. Experiences of subtle SO-DV were associated with increased distress, lower vitality, and increased risk of suicidal ideation. Disapproval of gender nonconformity was associated with negative mental health outcomes independently of violence based on sexual orientation. Subtle forms of SO-DV are more common than direct and overt forms. Both types of SO-DV could negatively affect mental health. Studies investigating these negative experiences are required to gain an understanding of the health inequalities faced by non-heterosexual populations.

Mental health disorders and alcohol misuse among UK military veterans and the general population: a comparison study

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Rebecca Rhead ◽  
Deirdre MacManus ◽  
Margaret Jones ◽  
Neil Greenberg ◽  
Nicola T Fear ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Military Health ◽  
Male Veterans ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Background For a small minority of personnel, military service can have a negative impact on their mental health. Yet no studies have assessed how the mental health of UK veterans (who served during the recent operations in Afghanistan or Iraq) compares to non-veterans, to determine if they are at a disadvantage. We examine the prevalence of mental disorders and alcohol misuse in UK veterans compared to non-veterans. Methods Veteran data were taken from the third phase of the King's Centre for Military Health Research cohort study (n = 2917). These data were compared with data on non-veterans taken from two large general population surveys: 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (n = 5871) and wave 6 of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS, n = 22 760). Results We found that, overall, UK veterans who served at the time of recent military operations were more likely to report a significantly higher prevalence of common mental disorders (CMD) (23% v. 16%), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (8% v. 5%) and alcohol misuse (11% v. 6%) than non-veterans. Stratifying by gender showed that the negative impact of being a veteran on mental health and alcohol misuse was restricted to male veterans. Being ill or disabled was associated with a higher prevalence of CMD and PTSD for both veterans and non-veterans. Conclusion Whilst the same sociodemographic groups within the veteran and non-veteran populations seemed to have an increased risk of mental health problems (e.g. those who were unemployed), male veterans, in particular, appear to be at a distinct disadvantage compared to those who have never served.

Queer narratives and minority stress: Stories from lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals in Norway

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-114
Author(s):  
Oddgeir Synnes ◽  
Kirsti Malterud
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
National Archive ◽  
Cultural Scripts ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
And Bisexual

Aims: This study aims to explore how minority stress related to sexual orientation is reflected in narratives from lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals in Norway, with an impact for national public health policy. Methods: Arthur Frank’s dialogical narrative analysis was applied to personal stories from 65 persons self-referring to different categories of queer identities, submitted online anonymously to a Norwegian national archive for queer history. A purposive sample of three different stories were selected due to their capacity to illuminate how various aspects of minority stress are narrated in diverse interplays between individual voices and resources, and cultural scripts and societal influences. Results: Our analysis highlighted how stories may offer significant glimpses into the dynamic and complex fashioning of sexual identities, giving precious clues to the vulnerabilities and strengths of the narrator. Contemporary queer narratives from Norway reflect meaning-making related to sexual orientation that are influenced by, and expand upon, the classical scripts dominated by tragedy and tristesse, personal progress or simply no particular tension. LGB individuals of different ages and backgrounds had experienced aspects of minority stress related to their sexual orientation, with a substantial impact on identity, even when significant others were encouraging. Conclusions: The stories indicate that positive proximal processes, such as personal resilience and sympathetic environments, can support mental health and counteract negative effects of distal processes contributing to minority stress, such as heteronormativity and subtle microaggression. Public health strategies addressing attitudes to sexual orientation among the general population may contribute to diverse affirmative cultural scripts about queer lives, thereby enhancing queer mental health.

scholarly journals Gender nonconformity and mental health among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: Homophobic stigmatization and internalized homophobia as mediators

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 1211-1222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriël Van Beusekom ◽  
Henny MW Bos ◽  
Lisette Kuyper ◽  
Geertjan Overbeek ◽  
Theo GM Sandfort
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Internalized Homophobia ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Gender Nonconformity ◽  
And Bisexual

We assessed among a sample of 724 Dutch lesbian, gay, and bisexual–identified adults ( Mage = 31.42) whether experiences with homophobic stigmatization and internalized homophobia simultaneously mediated the relation of gender nonconformity with mental health. Results indicated that homophobic stigmatization and internalized homophobia partially mediated the relation between gender nonconformity and mental health. Gender nonconformity was related to more mental health problems via increased experiences with homophobic stigmatization and to less mental health problems because of reduced levels of internalized homophobia. However, the mediated relation of gender nonconformity with mental health via homophobic stigmatization was only significant for men.

scholarly journals Alcohol and drug abuse as a manifestation of social stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
VA Semyonova ◽  
TP Sabgayda ◽  
AV Zubko ◽  
AE Ivanova ◽  
GN Evdokushkina
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Drug Abuse ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Undetermined Intent ◽  
Alcohol And Drug Abuse ◽  
Health Deterioration ◽  
Excess Deaths

Abstract   During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress have contributed to excess mortality. The purpose of the study is to evaluate changes in mortality from causes associated with social stress during the pandemic in Moscow. The analysis is based on the Rosstat statistics and RFS-EMIAS database (Medical death certificates issued by the Moscow health institutions) in 2019-2020. Deaths from mental disorders and suicides during the maximum and minimum excess mortality in Moscow in 2020 were compared to 2019 (May and December, when mortality exceeded the 2019 indicators by 57.2% and 56.7%, and July with the 7.1%) excess. First, the excess mortality from mental disorders in these months was almost entirely due to disorders related to alcohol and drug abuse. Second, alcohol and drug abuse also results in deaths from poisoning. This necessitates a joint evaluation of deaths associated with alcohol and drugs (from mental disorders and poisoning). The evaluation shows that excess deaths from alcohol abuse in men in May 2020 compared to May 2019 equaled to 65%, falling down to 52.3% in July, followed by its maximum (2.5-fold) in December. Females show a steady increase: 52.9%, 76.5% and 2.1-fold, respectively. Distribution by sex of the total deaths associated with drug addiction (mental disorders and poisoning) was reversed: a steady increase in males (55.4% in May, 67% in July and 2.1-fold in December) and a significant decrease in females: 63.6%, 31.6% and 2.7-fold, respectively. Third, the pandemic has paradoxically affected deaths from suicide (including hangings, falls and undetermined intent poisoning). In men, excess deaths equaled to zero in May, 1.2% in July and decreased by 20.6% in December. The female excess suicidal mortality increased: 13.5%, 30.6% and 36.7%, respectively. Thus, the male reaction to social stress caused by the pandemic was passive (alcohol and drug abuse), while the female reaction was aggravated by suicides. Key messages During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress contributed to excess mortality. Alcohol and drug abuse results in deaths not only due to mental disorders.

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