Association between marital status and mental health among cohabitating same-sex couples in the UK

Abstract

Abstract Background A large body of research suggests that the formalisation of opposite-sex relationships is associated with favourable mental health outcomes, particularly among males. Despite the recent introduction of same-sex civil partnership and/or marriage in many countries, there is little evidence as to whether this salutary effect of formalised partnership extends to same-sex couples. Methods Using data from wave 8 (2016-18) of Understanding Society: the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), respondents living with a same-sex partner were included in the analytical sample (n = 225). Respondents from Northern Ireland were excluded, as same-sex marriage did not exist there at the time of data collection. Mental health status was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 (range: 0-36) and the established cut-off point of 11/12 to identify psychiatric caseness. The association between marital status (marriage, civil partnership, and cohabitation only) and psychiatric caseness was examined in logistic regression models in the overall sample and stratified by sex. Results A total of 112 respondents (40%) were cohabitating, 81 (40%) were living in civil partnership, and 32 (19%) were married. In bivariable analyses, respondents living in civil partnership had a lower prevalence of psychiatric caseness (30%) than those who were married (50%) or cohabitating only (51%) (p = 0.041). In models adjusted for age, sex, and education, civil partnership was associated with 84% reduced odds of psychiatric caseness (95% CI: 0.39-0.66) compared to cohabitation among females; no statistically significant effect was found for marriage or among males. Conclusions This study provided evidence of a inverse association between civil partnership and psychiatric caseness among females in same-sex couples. Given that same-sex marriage was only introduced in England, Wales, and Scotland in 2014, further research will be needed as more same-sex couples formalise their relationships.