Prevalence and Co-Occurrence of Heavy Drinking and Anxiety and Mood Disorders among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Canadians

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the prevalence and co-occurrence of heavy drinking, anxiety, and mood disorders among Canadians who self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual.

METHODS:

Pooled data from the 2007 to 2012 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 222 548) were used to fit logistic regression models controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS:

In adjusted logistic regression models, gay or lesbian respondents had greater odds than heterosexual respondents of reporting anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety-mood disorders. Bisexual respondents had greater odds of reporting anxiety disorders, mood disorders, anxiety-mood disorders, and heavy drinking. Gay or lesbian and bisexual respondents had greater odds than heterosexuals of reporting co-occurring anxiety or mood disorders and heavy drinking. The highest rates of disorders were observed among bisexual respondents, with nearly quadruple the rates of anxiety, mood, and combined anxiety and mood disorders relative to heterosexuals and approximately twice the rates of gay or lesbian respondents.

CONCLUSIONS:

Members of sexual minority groups in Canada, in particular those self-identifying as bisexual, experience disproportionate rates of anxiety and mood disorders, heavy drinking, and co-occurring disorders.

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By:  Pakula B1, Shoveller J1, Ratner PA1, Carpiano R1.

• 1Basia Pakula is a PhD candidate with the School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Jean Shoveller is with the School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia and the Epidemiology/Population Health and Drug Treatment Program, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver. Pamela A. Ratner is with the Faculty of Education and the Enrollment and Academic Facilities, University of British Columbia. Richard Carpiano is with the Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia. 
• Am J Public Health. 2016 Mar 17:e1-e7.

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