Sexual orientation, discrimination, and prevalence of 12 month major depression

Background: Minority sexual orientation is a risk indicator for depression (Cochran & Mays, 2009), presumably stemming from the harmful effects of antigay discrimination (Meyer, 2003; Mays & Cochran, 2001). Objectives: Here, we ask a somewhat different question: Does sexual orientation-related discrimination (SOD) show evidence of harming individuals irrespective of their sexual orientation? To do so, we use the combined 2004-2005/2007-2008 California Quality of Life Surveys, both of which reinterviewed respondents from the 2003/2007 CHIS's, to investigate associations between SOD and past year depression. Methods: The Cal-QOL surveys (N=5087) drew representative samples of former CHIS respondents, age 18 to 72 years, oversampled for minority sexual orientation. All were administered a structured interview assessing major depression and SOD. Using multivariate logistic regression methods, we investigated sexual orientation- and SOD-related differences in prevalence of depression. Results: LGB individuals were more likely to meet criteria for 12-month major depression than were heterosexuals (22% vs. 10%) after adjusting for demographic confounding. Also, LGB individuals were much more likely than heterosexuals to report SOD (21% vs. 1%). Further investigation revealed that LGB persons either reporting SOD or not and heterosexuals reporting SOD were significantly more likely to meet criteria for depression (20% vs. 22% vs. 23%) than heterosexuals who did not experience SOD (10 %). Conclusions: Experiencing frequent SOD is a risk factor for major depression, regardless of individual's sexual orientation. General public health interventions that target reductions in social discrimination may provide mental health benefits to an inclusive audience.