result
Associations between social connections and mental health variables
Prevalence estimates for the three mental health indicators were significantly higher among adults who reported loneliness or a lack of social and emotional support than among those who did not (Table 1). After controlling for demographic characteristics and sexual orientation and gender identity variables, the adjusted prevalence rates of stress, frequent mental distress (FMD), and history of depression (depression) among adults who reported loneliness were 3.61, 3.05, and 2.38 times higher, respectively, than those who did not report loneliness. Compared with the adjusted prevalence rates among adults who did not report a lack of social and emotional support, the adjusted prevalence rates of the mental health outcomes were higher among adults who reported a lack of social and emotional support (3.0). [stress]2.6 [FMD]and 1.8 [depression]).
Weighted prevalence estimates for measures of social connectedness
Overall prevalence estimates were 32.1% for loneliness and 24.1% for lack of social and emotional support (Table 2). Within corresponding demographic categories, the highest prevalence of loneliness and lack of social and emotional support, respectively, was among 18-34 year olds (43.3% and 29.7%), those with less than a high school education (41.1% and 36.3%), unmarried individuals (45.9% and 34.7%), and those with a household income of less than $25,000 (47.9% and 39.8%). The lowest prevalence was among non-Hispanic white adults (29.6% and 20.1%) and those living in households with two adults living together (27.4% and 19.1%). Feelings of loneliness were significantly more prevalent among women than men (33.5% vs. 30.7%), and lack of social and emotional support was more prevalent among men than women (22.3% vs. 26.1%).
The prevalence of loneliness was significantly higher among adults who identified as gay (41.2%), lesbian (44.8%), bisexual (56.7%), or anything other than gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight (50.7%) than among adults who identified as straight (30.3%). Loneliness was significantly higher among adults who identified as transgender women (56.4%), transgender men (62.6%), or transgender gender nonconforming (63.9%) than among adults who identified as cisgender (32.1%). Lack of social and emotional support was significantly higher among adults who identified as gay (29.0%), bisexual (36.5%), or anything other than gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight (39.3%) than among adults who identified as straight (22.8%). The prevalence of transgender women (44.8%), transgender men (34.4%), or transgender gender non-conforming adults (41.4%) was significantly higher than the prevalence of cisgender adults (23.8%).
Weighted prevalence estimates of mental health indicators
Overall prevalence estimates were 13.9% for stress, 16.0% for FMD, and 21.3% for depression (Table 2). Within the corresponding demographic categories, the prevalence of mental health indicators was highest in those aged 18–34 years (21.6% [stress]23.2% [FMD]26.4% [depression]), Women (16.0%) [stress]18.8% [FMD]27.0% [depression]), those with less than high school education (19.1%) [stress] 20.4% [FMD]The prevalence of depression by educational background was highest among university dropouts (24.4%), as well as unmarried people (20.6%). [stress] 23.0% [FMD]) and those with a household income of less than $25,000 (24.1%) [stress]27.2% [FMD]32.0% [depression]The lowest prevalence was in non-Hispanic Asians (9.5%). [stress]10.8% [FMD]10.7% [depression]) and households with two adults living together (11.6%) [stress]13.6% [FMD]19.4% [depression]).
The prevalence was significantly higher among those who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or anything other than straight than among those who identified as straight, with the highest prevalence among bisexuals (34.3%). [stress]40.5% [FMD]54.4% [depression]Those who identified as gay had lower prevalence of stress (18.3%), FMD (20.8%), and depression (34.0%) than those who identified as lesbian, bisexual, or anything else. Transgender rates were significantly higher than cisgender rates, with transgender gender non-conforming people having the highest prevalence of depression (67.2%).
