Risk of psychiatric disorders among individuals reporting same-sex sexual partners in the National Comorbidity Survey

Objectives. This study examined the risk of psychiatric disorders among ind ividuals with same-sex sexual partners. Methods. Data are from the National Comorbidity Survey, a nationally repres entative household survey. Respondents were asked the number of women and m en with whom they had sexual intercourse in the past 5 years. Psychiatric d isorders according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Revised Third Edition (DSM-III-R) criteria were assessed with a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Results. A total of 2.1% of men and 1.5% of women reported 1 or more same-s ex sexual partners in the past 5 years. These respondents had higher 12-mon th prevalences; of anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders and of suicid al thoughts and plans than did respondents with opposite-sex partners only. Decomposition showed that the elevated same-sex 12-month prevalences were largely due to higher lifetime prevalences. Ages at onset and persistence o f disorders did not differ between the same-sex and opposite-sex subsamples . Conclusions. Homosexual orientation, defined as having same-sex sexual part ners, is associated with a general elevation of risk for anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders and for suicidal thoughts and plans. Further resea rch is needed to replicate and explore the causal mechanisms underlying thi s association.