Depression Rates on the Rise for Sexual, Gender Minority College Students
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13, 2024 -- Depression rates are more than three times higher among sexual and gender minority (SGM) university and college students compared with non-SGM students, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in the Journal of American College Health.
David Pagliaccio, Ph.D., from the New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City, and colleagues examined changes in SGM student mental health over time. Data from 483,574 responses to the Healthy Minds Study were assessed from 18- to 35-year-old U.S. students.
Pagliaccio found that about 18 percent of the students identified as SGM, with a sixfold increase in SGM self-identification during the 15-year study period. Over time, there was an increase in depression rates, with about 12 percent of students reporting major depression. Compared with non-SGM students, SGM students were 3.18 times more likely to report depression (26.85 versus 8.53 percent). SGM disparities in depression were partially explained by disproportionate discrimination and lack of school belonging. SGM students were half as likely to seek help from family but twice as likely to utilize therapy.
"Our findings highlight a growing mental health crisis among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual students that demands immediate attention," Pagliaccio said in a statement. "Academic institutions need to take urgent and proactive steps to address these alarming rises in depression that are affecting the lives of so many young adults, particularly among those who face unique challenges due to their sexual or gender identity."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
About One in Five Adults Experienced Anxiety, Depression in 2022
THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 -- About one in five adults experienced any symptoms of anxiety and symptoms of depression during 2022, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in...
Two-Fifths of Americans Say They Experience the 'Winter Blues'
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6, 2024 -- Two-fifths of Americans (41 percent) say their mood declines during the winter months, according to the results of the Healthy Minds Poll released by...
Anxiety/Depression Linked to HRQoL Losses in Seropositive RA
MONDAY, Nov. 4, 2024 -- Patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with moderate and extreme anxiety/depression have mean health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) losses...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.