Same-Sex Legal Marriage and Psychological Well-Being

Findings From the California Health Interview Survey

Bibliographic Data

ID11027154
AuthorsRichard G Wight (Richard G. Wight is with the Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. Allen J. LeBlanc is with the Department of Sociology and the Health Equity Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. M. V. Lee Badgett is with the Williams Institute, School of Law, University of California, Los Angeles, and the Department of Economics and Center for Public Policy and Administration, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.), Richard Wight (Public Policy Institute of California), Allen J Leblanc (0000-0002-5242-7650, Richard G. Wight is with the Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. Allen J. LeBlanc is with the Department of Sociology and the Health Equity Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. M. V. Lee Badgett is with the Williams Institute, School of Law, University of California, Los Angeles, and the Department of Economics and Center for Public Policy and Administration, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.), M V Lee Badgett (0000-0001-5181-5718, Richard G. Wight is with the Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. Allen J. LeBlanc is with the Department of Sociology and the Health Equity Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. M. V. Lee Badgett is with the Williams Institute, School of Law, University of California, Los Angeles, and the Department of Economics and Center for Public Policy and Administration, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.)
Year2013
Volume103
Issue2
Pages339-346
Publication date2013-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2012.301113
PMID23237155
PMCIDPMC3558785
OpenAlexW2096925708
LanguageEN
Citations received84
References cited20

Objectives. We examined whether same-sex marriage was associated with nonspecific psychological distress among self-identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults, and whether it had the potential to offset mental health disparities between lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons and heterosexuals. Methods. Population-based data (weighted) were from the 2009 adult (aged 18–70 years) California Health Interview Survey. Within-group analysis of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons included 1166 individuals (weighted proportion = 3.15%); within-group heterosexual analysis included 35 608 individuals (weighted proportion = 96.58%); and pooled analysis of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons and heterosexuals included 36 774 individuals. Results. Same-sex married lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons were significantly less distressed than lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons not in a legally recognized relationship; married heterosexuals were significantly less distressed than nonmarried heterosexuals. In adjusted pairwise comparisons, married heterosexuals had the lowest psychological distress, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons who were not in legalized relationships had the highest psychological distress (P Conclusions. Being in a legally recognized same-sex relationship, marriage in particular, appeared to diminish mental health differentials between heterosexuals and lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. Researchers must continue to examine potential health benefits of same-sex marriage, which is at least in part a public health issue

Distress · Heterosexuality · Homosexuality · Lesbian · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Sexual orientation · Sociology · Clinical Psychology · Demography · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies · Social Psychology

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