title: Mental health and quality of life of gay men and lesbians in England and Wales: controlled, cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the mental health of gay men and lesbians living in Europe.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare psychological status, quality of life and use of mental health services by lesbians and gay men with heterosexual people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study in England and Wales using 'snowball' sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  656 gay men, 505 heterosexual men, 430 lesbians and 588 heterosexual women. Gay men were more likely than heterosexual men to score above threshold on the Clinical Interview Schedule, indicating greater levels of psychological distress (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.07-1.43), as were lesbians compared with heterosexual women (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.11-1.52). Gay men and lesbians were more likely than heterosexuals to have consulted a mental health professional in the past, deliberately harmed themselves and used recreational drugs. Lesbians were more likely to have experienced verbal and physical intimidation and to consume more alcohol than heterosexual women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness of mental health issues for gay men and lesbians should become a standard part of training for mental health professionals, who need to be aware of the potential for substance misuse and self-harm in this group and of the discrimination experienced by many lesbians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK. m.king@rfc.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Eamonn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McKeown
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Angus
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cort
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blizard
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D011287:Prejudice; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales