Citation

Marshal MP, Sucato G, Stepp SD, Hipwell A, Smith HA, Friedman MS, Chung T, Markovic N. J. Pediatr. Adolesc. Gynecol. 2012; 25(1): 15-18.

Affiliation

Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpag.2011.06.011

PMID

22051788

PMCID

PMC3312316

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine substance use and mental health disparities between sexual minority girls and heterosexual girls. METHODS: Data from the Pittsburgh Girls Study were analyzed. All girls were 17 years old. Girls were included if they were not missing self-reported sexual orientation and mental health data (N = 527). Thirty-one girls (6%) endorsed same-sex romantic orientation/identity or current same-sex attraction. Bivariate analyses were conducted to test group differences in the prevalence of substance use and suicidal behavior, and group differences in depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder (BPD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD) symptoms. RESULTS: Compared with heterosexual girls, sexual minority girls reported higher past-year rates of cigarette, alcohol, and heavy alcohol use, higher rates of suicidal ideation and self-harm, and higher average depression, anxiety, BPD, ODD, and CD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual minority girls are an underrepresented group in the health disparities literature, and compared with heterosexual girls, they are at higher risk for mental health problems, most likely because of minority stress experiences such as discrimination and victimization. The disparities found in this report highlight the importance of discussing sexual orientation as part of a comprehensive preventive care visit.

Language: en