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Arch Sex Behav (2014) 43:607619 DOI 10.1007/s10508-013-0124-y
ORIGINAL PAPER
A Multidimensional Measure of Sexual Orientation, Useof Psychoactive Substances, and Depression: Results of a National Survey on Sexual Behavior in France
Brigitte Lhomond Marie-Josphe Saurel-Cubizolles
Stuart Michaels The CSF Group
Received: 7 February 2012 / Revised: 6 March 2013 / Accepted: 9 March 2013 / Published online: 7 June 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Abstract Using data from a large national representative surveyonsexualbehaviorinFrance(ContextedelaSexualit en France), this study analyzed the relationship between a multidimensional measure of sexual orientation and psychoactive substanceuseanddepression.Thesurveywasconductedin2006 by telephone with a random sample of the continental French speaking population between the ages of 18 and 69 years. The sample used for this analysis consisted of the 4,400 men and 5,472 women who were sexually active. A sexual orientation measure was constructed by combining information on three dimensions of sexual orientation: attraction, sexual behavior, andself-denition.Fivemutuallyexclusivegroupsweredened formenandwomen:thosewithonlyheterosexualbehaviorwere dividedintwogroupswhetherornottheydeclaredanysame-sex attraction; those with any same-sex partners were divided into threecategoriesderivedfromtheirself-denition(heterosexual, bisexualorhomosexual).Theconsumptionofalcoholandcannabis, which was higher in the non-exclusively heterosexual groups, was more closely associated with homosexual self-identication for women than for men. Self-dened bisexuals (bothmaleandfemale)followedbygaymenandlesbianshadthe highest risk of chronic or recent depression. Self-dened heterosexuals who had same-sex partners or attraction had levels of risk between exclusive heterosexuals and self-identied
homosexuals and bisexuals. The use of a multidimensional measure of sexual orientation demonstrated variation in substance use and mental health between non-heterosexual subgroups dened in terms of behavior, attraction, and identity.
Keywords Sexual orientation Depression
Substance use Gay Lesbian Bisexual
Introduction
In the past 15 years, there has been an increase in studies of sexual orientation and mental health. While in the past homosexuality was in itself viewed as a mental illness, today sexual orientationistreatedasasourceofdisparitiesinhealthoutcomes (Institute of Medicine, 2011). The relationship between sexual orientation, use of psychoactive substances, and mental health has been explored by numerous studies, as described in several reviews of the literature (cf. Bux, 1996; Cochran, 2001; Haas et al., 2011; Julien & Chartrand, 2005; King et al., 2008; Lhomond & Saurel-Cubizolles, 2009; Marshal et al., 2008; Meyer, 2003). Almost all studies nd higher rates of mental health problems and substance use among non-heterosexual groups. However, they vary in terms of which groups are most at risk and for which mental health indicators differences...