Cross-National Investigation of Health Indicators among Sexual Minorities in Norway and the United States

Ryan J. Watson, Christopher W. Wheldon, Lars Wichstrøm and Stephen T. Russell
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Ryan J. Watson: School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, T222-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada
Christopher W. Wheldon: Department of Community & Family Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
Lars Wichstrøm: Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway
Stephen T. Russell: Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton St., Stop A2702, Austin, TX 78712, USA

Social Sciences, 2015, vol. 4, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: A cross-national study of young adult sexual minorities was conducted in order to explore the associations between sexual orientation and measures of depression, suicidality, and substance use. Two nationally representative data sets were explored from the United States ( N = 14,335) and Norway ( N = 2423). Results indicated that sexual minorities experienced multiple health disparities (depression, suicidality, and substance use) compared to their heterosexual counterparts. We found similar patterns of depression, suicidality, and substance use for sexual minorities in both the United States and Norway. The highest odds of substance use were among heterosexual-identified Norwegian youth who reported same-sex sexual activity, and the highest odds of suicidality were found for bisexual young adults in Norway. These findings have implications for how we consider culture and social policy as barriers and/or opportunities for sexual minorities.

Keywords: LGB; health disparities, MSM; WSW; culture; psychosocial adjustment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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