title: A grounded theory of bisexual individuals' experiences of help seeking.
abstract: Bisexual people constitute the largest sexual minority group in North America and experience significant mental health disparities in relation to heterosexuals, gays, and lesbians. In this article, we will examine the process and experience of help seeking among bisexuals. This was a community-based study that collected qualitative interview data from 41 diverse bisexual people from across Ontario, Canada. We analyzed the interview data using grounded theory and constructed an understanding of bisexuals' experiences of help seeking. We have conceptualized an overarching model that illustrates 4 interrelated stages: (a) the consideration of services, (b) the process of finding services, (c) barriers and facilitators to accessing services, and (d) experience of service utilization. This model is nonlinear, in that participants do not necessarily move through stages in sequence. Although many stages are experienced at the individual level, they are simultaneously informed by multiple factors at interpersonal and system levels. Our findings suggest a need for interventions at the policy, service and provider levels to improve accessibility of culturally competent services for this population. Understanding the mental health experiences of bisexual people will allow mental health professionals to build competencies working with this population and thereby contribute to a reduction in mental health disparities. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Social and Epidemiological Research Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacKay
authors.affiliation: Social and Epidemiological Research Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Social and Epidemiological Research Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pinder
authors.affiliation: Social and Epidemiological Research Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
authors.forename: Lori E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D066296:Grounded Theory; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009864:Ontario; D036301:Qualitative Research; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities