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Symposia

LGBTQ+

Session: Understanding Experiences of Distress in Specific LGBT Groups: Taking Intersectionality and Measurement Seriously

5 - (SYM 50) Sexual Orientation Differences in Mental Health and Mental Health Service Use Among Veterans

Saturday, November 18, 2023

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM PST

Location: Nooksack (602), Level 6

Speaker(s)

KH

Kelly Harper, Ph.D. (she/they)

Postdoctoral fellow
National Center for PTSD
Brookline, Massachusetts

Co-author(s)

KH

Kelly Harper, Ph.D. (she/they)

Postdoctoral fellow
National Center for PTSD
Brookline, Massachusetts
JB

John R. Blosnich, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California; Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Los Angeles, California
NL

Nicholas Livingston, Ph.D.

Assistant professor
Behavioral Science Division, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Boston Healthcare System; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine School of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts
DV

Dawne Vogt, PhD

Health Science Specialist
National Center for PTSD
Boston, Massachusetts
PB

Paul Bernhard, Ph.D.

Staticisian
Health Outcomes of Military Exposures, Epidemiology Program, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration
washington DC, District of Columbia
CH

Claire A. Hoffmire, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
VA Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Suicide Prevention University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Aurora, Colorado
SM

Shira Maguen, PhD

Clinical Psychologist
San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System;Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California; University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
San Francisco, California
AS

Aaron Schneiderman, PhD

Director
Health Outcomes of Military Exposures, Epidemiology Program, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration
Washington DC, District of Columbia

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer+ (LGBQ+) are at heightened risk for mental health conditions compared with their heterosexual peers due to chronic experiences of stigma and discrimination. Subpopulations of the LGBQ+ community, including LGBQ+ veterans, are at even greater risk for mental health conditions due to unique experiences of stigma. Despite this heightened risk, little is known about mental health treatment seeking among LGBQ+ veterans, especially among under researched LGBQ+ sub-populations (e.g., bisexual men and women). This study examined sexual minority-based differences in current mental health conditions and past year mental health treatment among a national sample of post-9/11 veteran men and women (N = 14,977). Results indicated that sexual minority veteran men and women, especially bisexual women, had greater odds of screening positive for current mental health conditions [e.g., depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hazardous alcohol use] compared with their heterosexual peers. Furthermore, compared with their heterosexual counterparts, bisexual women were more likely to utilize treatment for depression, anxiety, and PTSD; gay and bisexual men had greater odds of utilizing treatment for depression. Among both veteran men and women, mental health symptom severity (PTSD, depression, and anxiety) explained the association between sexual orientation and mental health treatment. Consistent with findings among non-veteran samples, this study demonstrated that lesbian/gay and bisexual men and women, especially bisexual women, more frequently reported mental health conditions compared with their heterosexual counterparts. Due to greater symptom severity, lesbian/gay and bisexual men and women tended to have greater mental health care utilization compared with their heterosexual counterparts. Although mental health symptom severity appears to be driving treatment seeking among lesbian/gay and bisexual men and women, additional research is needed on their experiences with, and perceptions of, mental health care to determine treatment effectiveness.