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Adults who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) faced wide disparities in mental and behavioral health compared to heterosexual adults.
LGB Adults Were More Likely to Have Suicidal Thoughts and Major Depressive Episodes
In 2021, suicidal thoughts were 4.9 times higher among LGB adults (18.1%) than heterosexual adults (3.7%). LGB adults were also 3.9 times more likely to have had a major depressive episode in the past year than heterosexual adults (26.2% vs. 6.8%). Unmet mental health treatment needs were 1.7 times higher among LGB adults (42.0%) than heterosexual adults (24.6%).
Substance Use Disorder Was Twice as High Among LGB Adults
Our analysis found the rate of substance use disorder (SUD) was 2.0 times higher for LGB adults compared to their heterosexual peers (32.4% vs. 16.0%) and illicit drug use was 2.4 times higher for LGB adults compared to their heterosexual peers (35.4% vs. 14.6%). Rates of co-occurring low-to-moderate mental illness and substance use disorder (LMMI SUD) were 2.5 times higher for LGB adults (11.3% vs. 4.5%).
