title: Patterns of Mental Health Care Utilization Among Sexual Orientation Minority Groups.
abstract: Prior studies of the utilization of mental health professionals by sexual minority populations have relied on data that are now dated or not nationally representative. These studies have also provided mixed findings regarding gender differences in the utilization of mental health professionals among sexual minority individuals. Using data from the 2013-2015 National Health Interview Surveys, this study investigates (1) how sexual minority individuals compare to heterosexual participants in their utilization of mental health professionals; and (2) gender differences in that utilization. The results indicate sexual minority individuals utilize mental health care professionals at higher rates than heterosexual individuals even after controlling for measures of mental health and other demographic characteristics; this is true for both men and women. However, gender moderates the sexual minority effect on utilization rates. Sexual minority men utilize mental health professionals at a high rate, such that their utilization rates are similar to sexual minority women, contrary to the gender gap seen among heterosexuals.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Counseling Psychology , West Virginia University , Morgantown , West Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Lisa F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.affiliation: b Department of Sociology and Anthropology , West Virginia University , Morgantown , West Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Julia Kay
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: b Department of Sociology and Anthropology , West Virginia University , Morgantown , West Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Scheitle
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Gay men; LGBT health care; LGBT mental health; National Health Interview Surveys; lesbian women; mental health utilization; sexual minority; sexual minority populations