Mental health services use and depressive symptom scores among gay and bisexual men in Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To evaluate the association between mental health services (MHS) use and depressive symptom scores among gay and bisexual men (GBM) and compare with heterosexual men in Canada.

Methods

We used data from the 2015-2016 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the PHQ-9 questionnaire (prior two weeks). MHS consultations with any licensed mental health professional (prior year) were categorized as 0, 1, 2-11, ≥ 12. We fit linear regression models to quantify the associations between MHS use and PHQ-9 scores, with an interaction term for sexual identity (GBM and heterosexual men). Models were adjusted for socioeconomic and health-related indicators.

Results

Among 21,383 men, 97.3% self-identified as heterosexual and 2.

SUBMITTER: Marbaniang I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9636296 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature