Investigation of Depression Level and Its Relationship with Some Sociodemographic Characteristics in Homosexual and Bisexual Men

Abstract

Introduction: Studies have found that sexual minorities, including gay and bisexual men, have more mental health problems than the heterosexual population. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of depression in gay and bisexual men and its relationship with some socio-demographic variables. Methods: Participants were recruited from groups on social media such as “Facebook,” “Instagram,” and an LGBT app. Only homosexual and bisexual men were included in the study. Each participant completed the personal information form and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results: It was found that 28.7% of the 418 homosexual and bisexual men included in the study had mild depression, 29.7% had moderate depression, and 9.1% had severe depression. No statistically significant difference was found between the depression rates of homosexual and bisexual men. Discussion and Conclusion: At the end of the study, it was determined that the rate of depression in homosexual and bisexual men was higher than in the general population. Smoking, alcohol, and substance abuse rates are also higher in this group than in the general population. The limitations of this study are that only gay and bisexual men were included in the study, and there was no control group.