Cohabitation and Self-rated Health: The Role of Socioeconomic Status and Sexual Minority Status among U.S. Cohabitors

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 543-562
Author(s):  
Russell L. Spiker

This study examines whether health disparities between same-sex and different-sex cohabitors differ depending on socioeconomic status (SES). Previous research showed that SES mediates health disparities between different-sex and same-sex cohabitors, but less is known about its role as a potential moderator. Using data on cohabitors from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) National Health Interview Surveys (2007–2018), this study examines how the SES-health gradient shapes health disparities for same-sex and different-sex cohabitors. Average adjusted predictions from multinomial logistic regression models show that higher income-to-needs ratio is associated with improvements in self-rated health for same-sex cohabiting women relative to different-sex cohabiting women. However, results are mixed for men. As income-to-needs ratio increases, same-sex cohabiting men have higher probabilities of “excellent” or “very good” health than different-sex cohabitors; however, their risk of “poor” health increases significantly with higher income-to-needs ratios. Potential explanations related to minority stress, stress proliferation, gendered meanings of self-rated health, and selection are explored. Overall, disparities between same-sex and different-sex cohabitors differ by gender and SES, suggesting socioeconomic diversity should be considered in the study of sexual minority health.

2013 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Liu ◽  
Corinne Reczek ◽  
Dustin Brown

A legacy of research finds that marriage is associated with good health. Yet same-sex cohabitors cannot marry in most states in the United States and therefore may not receive the health benefits associated with marriage. We use pooled data from the 1997 to 2009 National Health Interview Surveys to compare the self-rated health of same-sex cohabiting men ( n = 1,659) and same-sex cohabiting women ( n = 1,634) with that of their different-sex married, different-sex cohabiting, and unpartnered divorced, widowed, and never-married counterparts. Results from logistic regression models show that same-sex cohabitors report poorer health than their different-sex married counterparts at the same levels of socioeconomic status. Additionally, same-sex cohabitors report better health than their different-sex cohabiting and single counterparts, but these differences are fully explained by socioeconomic status. Without their socioeconomic advantages, same-sex cohabitors would report similar health to nonmarried groups. Analyses further reveal important racial-ethnic and gender variations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 620-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Liu ◽  
Corinne Reczek ◽  
Samuel C. H. Mindes ◽  
Shannon Shen

We work from a minority stress perspective to theorize health disparities across union status at the intersection of sexual minority status, race-ethnicity, and gender. We use pooled data from the Integrated National Health Interview Surveys (1997–2014) to assess a wide range of health outcomes, including self-rated physical health, psychological distress, and health behaviors. Results suggest that same-sex cohabitors face substantial health disadvantages relative to different-sex married individuals, with little variation by race-ethnicity and gender. Fewer health differences are found for same-sex cohabitors in comparison with both different-sex cohabitors and unpartnered singles, although greater variation by gender and race-ethnicity is found across these comparisons. This study highlights the importance of integrating intersectionality and minority stress theories to guide future research examining sexual minority health disparities. Results suggest that the sexual minority health disadvantage, as well as the potential health boost of same-sex marriage, may depend on the intersection of race-ethnicity and gender.


Author(s):  
Lisa M. Diamond ◽  
Molly R. Butterworth ◽  
Ritch C. Savin-Williams

The present chapter provides a review of some of the primary psychological issues confronting sexual minorities (i.e., individuals with same-sex attractions and relationships). Our goal is to provide a flexible set of preliminary questions that can be used to help sexual-minority clients to articulate their own idiosyncratic experiences and give voice to their own unique needs. We begin by addressing two of the most common and important clinical issues faced by sexual minorities: generalized “minority stress” and acceptance and validation from the family of origin. We then turn attention to the vast—and vastly underinvestigated—population of individuals with bisexual attractions and behavior, who actually constitute the majority of the sexual-minority population, despite having been systematically excluded from most prior research. We review the increasing body of research suggesting that individuals with bisexual patterns of attraction and behavior actually face greater mental health risks than those with exclusive same-sex attractions and behavior, and we explore potential processes and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, focusing particular attention on issues of identity development and transition over the life span. We conclude by outlining a number of areas for future clinically oriented research.


Author(s):  
Minsung Sohn ◽  
Minsoo Jung ◽  
Mankyu Choi

To investigate the effects of public and private health insurance on self-rated health (SRH) status within the National Health Insurance (NHI) system based on socioeconomic status in South Korea. The data were obtained from 10 867 respondents of the Korea Health Panel (2008-2011). We used hierarchical panel logistic regression models to assess the SRH status. We also added the interaction terms of socioeconomic status and type of health insurance as moderators. Medical aid (MA) recipients were 2.10 times more likely to have a low SRH status than those who were covered only by the NHI, even though the healthcare utilization was higher. When the interaction terms were included, those not covered by the NHI and had completed elementary school or less were 16.59 times more likely to have a low SRH status than those covered by the NHI and had earned a college degree or higher. Expanding healthcare coverage to reduce the burden of non-payment and unmet use to improve the health status of MA beneficiaries should be considered. Particularly, the vulnerability of less-educated groups should be focused on.


2021 ◽  
pp. 73-83
Author(s):  
Julia Raifman ◽  
Brittany M. Charlton ◽  
Renata Arrington-Sanders ◽  
Philip A. Chan ◽  
Jack Rusley ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Sexual minority adolescents face mental health disparities relative to heterosexual adolescents. We evaluated temporal changes in US adolescent reported sexual orientation and suicide attempts by sexual orientation. METHODS We used Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance data from 6 states that collected data on sexual orientation identity and 4 states that collected data on sex of sexual contacts continuously between 2009 and 2017. We estimated odds ratios using logistic regression models to evaluate changes in reported sexual orientation identity, sex of consensual sexual contacts, and suicide attempts over time and calculated marginal effects (MEs). RESULTS The proportion of adolescents reporting minority sexual orientation identity nearly doubled, from 7.3% in 2009 to 14.3% in 2017 (ME: 0.8 percentage points [pp] per year; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6 to 0.9 pp). The proportion of adolescents reporting any same-sex sexual contact increased by 70%, from 7.7% in 2009 to 13.1% in 2017 (ME: 0.6 pp per year; 95% CI: 0.4 to 0.8 pp). Although suicide attempts declined among students identifying as sexual minorities (ME: –0.8 pp per year; 95% CI: –1.4 to –0.2 pp), these students remained >3 times more likely to attempt suicide relative to heterosexual students in 2017. Sexual minority adolescents accounted for an increasing proportion of all adolescent suicide attempts. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of adolescents reporting sexual minority identity and same-sex sexual contacts increased between 2009 and 2017. Disparities in suicide attempts persist. Developing and implementing approaches to reducing sexual minority youth suicide is critically important.


Author(s):  
Jordi Gumà ◽  
Jeroen Spijker

Objectives: To explore whether the influence of a partner’s socioeconomic status (SES) on health has an additive or a combined effect with the ego’s SES. Methods: With data on 4533 middle-aged (30–59) different-sex couples from the 2012 Spanish sample of the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey, we apply separate sex-specific logistic regression models to calculate predicted probabilities of having less than good self-perceived health according to individual and partner’s characteristics separately and combined. Results: Both approaches led to similar results: Having a partner with better SES reduces the probabilities of not having good health. However, the combined approach is more precise in disentangling SES effects. For instance, having a higher educated partner only benefits health among Spanish low-educated men, while men’s health is worse if they have a working spouse. Conversely, women’s health is positively influenced if at least one couple member is economically active. Conclusions: There are significant health differences between individuals according to their own and their partner’s SES in an apparently advantageous population group (i.e., individuals living with a partner). The combinative approach permits obtaining more precise couple-specific SES profiles.


Author(s):  
Lisa M. Diamond ◽  
Molly R. Butterworth ◽  
Ritch C. Savin-Williams

The present chapter provides a review of some of the primary psychological issues confronting sexual minorities (i.e., individuals with same-sex attractions and relationships). Our goal is to provide a flexible set of preliminary questions that can be used to help sexual-minority clients to articulate their own idiosyncratic experiences and give voice to their own unique needs. We begin by addressing two of the most common and important clinical issues faced by sexual minorities: generalized “minority stress” and acceptance and validation from the family of origin. We then turn attention to the vast—and vastly underinvestigated—population of individuals with bisexual attractions and behavior, who actually constitute the majority of the sexual-minority population, despite having been systematically excluded from most prior research. We review the increasing body of research suggesting that individuals with bisexual patterns of attraction and behavior actually face greater mental health risks than those with exclusive same-sex attractions and behavior, and we explore potential processes and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, focusing particular attention on issues of identity development and transition over the life span. We conclude by outlining a number of areas for future clinically oriented research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 229
Author(s):  
Grigoris Argeros

The present study examines inner and outer suburban ring attainment outcomes among racial and ethnic groups that reside in the nation’s metropolitan areas. The main objective is to evaluate the extent to which the relationship between racial and ethnic group’s socioeconomic status characteristics and residence between inner and outer suburban rings conforms to the tenets of the spatial assimilation model. Using micro-level data from the five-year 2012–2016 American Community Survey, the author calculates multinomial logistic regression models to determine the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) and other relevant predictors on residence within the nation’s metropolitan area’s suburban inner and outer rings. The results both confirm and contradict the main tenets of the spatial assimilation model. To the extent that income, education, and homeownership are positively related to residence in both suburban rings, the findings also suggest that access to inner and outer rings is hierarchically stratified by race and ethnicity.


2020 ◽  
pp. 089826432098366
Author(s):  
Billy A. Caceres ◽  
Jasmine Travers ◽  
Yashika Sharma

Objectives: Despite increased risk for chronic disease, there is limited research that has examined disparities in multimorbidity among sexual minority adults and whether these disparities differ by age. Methods: Data were from the 2014–2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We used sex-stratified multinomial logistic regression to examine differences in multimorbidity between sexual minority and heterosexual cisgender adults and whether hypothesized differences varied across age-groups. Results: The sample included 687,151 adults. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual adults had higher odds of meeting criteria for multimorbidity than same-sex heterosexual adults. These disparities were greater among sexual minority adults under the age of 50 years. Only other non-heterosexual men over the age of 50 years and lesbian women over the age of 80 years were less likely to have multimorbidity than their same-sex heterosexual counterparts. Discussion: Health promotion interventions to reduce adverse health outcomes among sexual minorities across the life span are needed.


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