TY - JOUR
T1 - Dating violence, quality of life and mental health in sexual minority populations
T2 - a path analysis
AU - Wong, Janet Yuen-Ha
AU - Choi, Edmond Pui-Hang
AU - Lo, Herman Hay-Ming
AU - Wong, Wendy
AU - Chio, Jasmine Hin-Man
AU - Choi, Anna Wai-Man
AU - Fong, Daniel Yee-Tak
PY - 2017/4
Y1 - 2017/4
N2 - Purpose: Theories explaining the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on mental health have focused on heterosexual relationships. It is unclear whether mental health disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority people are due to IPV or factors related to sexual orientation. The present study aimed to investigate pathways of how sexual orientation influenced quality of life and mental health. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in 1076 young adults in a university population (934 heterosexual and 142 sexual minority groups). Structural equation modelling was used to examine the pathways of sexual orientation, dating violence, sexual orientation concealment, quality of life and mental health (perceived stress, anxiety and depression). Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, quality of life in sexual minority people was poorer [estimate −2.82, 95 % confidence interval (CI) −4.77 to −0.86, p = 0.005], and stress (estimate 2.77, 95 % CI 1.64–3.92, p < 0.0001), anxiety (estimate 1.84, 95 % CI 1.13–2.56, p < 0.0001) and depression levels (estimate 0.62, 95 % CI 0.05–1.2, p < 0.0001) were higher than in heterosexual people. Dating violence and sexual orientation concealment were mediators, with the models showing a good fit. Conclusion: Our study has progressed investigation of the link between sexual orientation and quality of life and mental health in the Chinese context. It has helped identify health disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority people and determined specific factors affecting their quality of life and mental health.
AB - Purpose: Theories explaining the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on mental health have focused on heterosexual relationships. It is unclear whether mental health disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority people are due to IPV or factors related to sexual orientation. The present study aimed to investigate pathways of how sexual orientation influenced quality of life and mental health. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in 1076 young adults in a university population (934 heterosexual and 142 sexual minority groups). Structural equation modelling was used to examine the pathways of sexual orientation, dating violence, sexual orientation concealment, quality of life and mental health (perceived stress, anxiety and depression). Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, quality of life in sexual minority people was poorer [estimate −2.82, 95 % confidence interval (CI) −4.77 to −0.86, p = 0.005], and stress (estimate 2.77, 95 % CI 1.64–3.92, p < 0.0001), anxiety (estimate 1.84, 95 % CI 1.13–2.56, p < 0.0001) and depression levels (estimate 0.62, 95 % CI 0.05–1.2, p < 0.0001) were higher than in heterosexual people. Dating violence and sexual orientation concealment were mediators, with the models showing a good fit. Conclusion: Our study has progressed investigation of the link between sexual orientation and quality of life and mental health in the Chinese context. It has helped identify health disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority people and determined specific factors affecting their quality of life and mental health.
KW - Chinese
KW - Dating violence
KW - Mental health
KW - Quality of life
KW - Sexual minority
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UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84988710037&origin=recordpage
U2 - 10.1007/s11136-016-1415-2
DO - 10.1007/s11136-016-1415-2
M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal
C2 - 27679496
SN - 0962-9343
VL - 26
SP - 959
EP - 968
JO - Quality of Life Research
JF - Quality of Life Research
IS - 4
ER -
