Examining Health Disparities and Severity of Depression among Sexual Minorites in a National Population Sample

Background: Health disparities and mental health issues have not been fully explored among sexual minorities. This study aims to examine health disparities and severity of depression among sexual minorities using a nationally representative sample of the US population. Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2011 to 2016 were analyzed. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to examine the severity of depression among sexual minorities compared to heterosexuals. Data were analyzed for descriptive statistics and associations using the Chi-squared test. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to quantify the magnitude of association between severity of depression and demographic characteristics. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among 7826 participants included, 426 (5.4%) were identified as a sexual minority. Moderately severe to severe depression was observed among 9.3% of sexual minorities with women having higher rates (64.2%) than men. Similarly, sexual minorities were two times more likely to have moderately severe to severe depression, two and half times more likely to see a mental health professional, and one and half times more likely to have genital herpes and be a user of illicit drugs than heterosexuals. In addition, they were less likely to be married and more likely to have been born in the United States, be a U.S. citizen, and earn less than USD 25,000 (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Sexual minorities are affected by a range of social, structural, and behavioral issues impacting their health. The screening of individuals with depression who are sexual minorities (especially females), illicit drug users, poor, or aged over 39 years may benefit from early intervention efforts.