@article{ref1,
title="Mental health services use and depressive symptom scores among gay and bisexual men in Canada",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2022",
author="Marbaniang, Ivan and Rose, Eric and Moodie, Erica E. M. and Hart, Trevor A. and Cox, Joseph",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
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. <br><br>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. <br><br>RESULTS: Among 21,383 men, 97.3% self-identified as heterosexual and 2.7% as GBM. Compared to heterosexual men, GBM used any MHS (21% vs. 10%, p < 0.05) and consulted ≥ 2 health professionals for their mental health (6% vs. 2%, p < 0.05) in the preceding year more frequently. Overall, mean PHQ-9 scores were higher among GBM compared to heterosexual men (3.9 vs. 2.3, p < 0.05). Relative to no consultations, higher MHS use (2-11, ≥ 12 consultations) was associated with higher PHQ-9 scores (1.4-4.9 points higher). Associations between MHS use and PHQ-9 scores did not differ statistically between GBM and heterosexual men. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Our findings were inconclusive in demonstrating a difference between heterosexual men and GBM for the association between MHS use and PHQ-9 scores. However, GBM consistently had higher average PHQ-9 scores for every category of consultations. Considering the higher use of MHS and higher burden of depressive symptoms among GBM, more research is needed.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-022-02362-3",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-022-02362-3"
}