Sexual Orientation and Mental and Physical Health Status

Findings From a Dutch Population Survey

Dados Bibliográficos

ID11028076
AutoresTheo Sandfort (0000-0002-4986-1739, Theo G.M. Sandfort is with the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York. Floor Bakker and Ine Vanwesenbeeck are with the Rutgers Nisso Groep, Utrecht, Netherlands. François Schellevis is with Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht.), Theo G M Sandfort, F C Bakker (Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research), Floor Bakker (Theo G.M. Sandfort is with the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York. Floor Bakker and Ine Vanwesenbeeck are with the Rutgers Nisso Groep, Utrecht, Netherlands. François Schellevis is with Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht.), François Schellevis (0000-0001-9745-6394, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research), François G Schellevis (Theo G.M. Sandfort is with the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York. Floor Bakker and Ine Vanwesenbeeck are with the Rutgers Nisso Groep, Utrecht, Netherlands. François Schellevis is with Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht.), Ine Vanwesenbeeck (0000-0001-5800-3771, Theo G.M. Sandfort is with the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York. Floor Bakker and Ine Vanwesenbeeck are with the Rutgers Nisso Groep, Utrecht, Netherlands. François Schellevis is with Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht.)
Ano2006
Volume96
Fascículo6
Páginas1119-1125
Data de publicação2006-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
EditoraAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2004.058891
PMID16670235
PMCIDPMC1470639
OpenAlexW2123339308
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas89
Referências citadas59

Objectives. We sought to determine whether sexual orientation is related to mental and physical health and health behaviors in the general population. Methods. Data was derived from a health interview survey that was part of the second Dutch National Survey of General Practice, carried out in 2001 among an all-age random sample of the population. Of the 19685 persons invited to participate, 65% took part in the survey. Sexual orientation was assessed in persons aged 18 years and older and reported by 98.2% of 9684 participants. The respondents’ characteristics are comparable with those of the Dutch general population. Results. Gay/lesbian participants reported more acute mental health symptoms than heterosexual people and their general mental health also was poorer. Gay/lesbian people more frequently reported acute physical symptoms and chronic conditions than heterosexual people. Differences in smoking, alcohol use, and drug use were less prominent. Conclusions. We found that sexual orientation was associated with mental as well as physical health. The causal processes responsible for these differences by sexual orientation need further exploration

Environmental health · Homosexuality · Lesbian · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Sexual orientation · Clinical Psychology · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Sexual function and dysfunction studies · Social Psychology · Gerontology