Abstract
Background and objective: Depression and anxiety are the most common mental disorders for human health, especially for gay men. This study aimed to assess the status and characteristics of Chinese gay men who were vulnerable to depression, anxiety, or the comorbidity of the two disorders. Material and methods: A total of 367 samples from a cross-sectional survey conducted between November and December 2017 were included. The Chinese version of SCL-90-R was used to measure the levels of anxiety and depression. The unadjusted associations of demographic characteristics with anxiety, depression, and comorbidity were evaluated by chi-square test. The most predictive factors of the respondents' depression, anxiety and the comorbidity were identified using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and comorbidity were 36.51%, 27.79%, and 26.16%, respectively among gay men. Age, being the only child at home, personal monthly income, sexual orientation disclosure status, and source of participants were related to the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and comorbidity (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Depression and/or anxiety are highly prevalent among Chinese gay men. Prevention strategies should be developed to target the related factors in the gay men population to thwart or slow down the situation. It is also crucial for social and family members to increase the acceptance of Chinese gay men.
Highlights
Mental disorders, a worldwide public health issue, are an increasingly significant barrier to human health
We found that the offline participants were less likely to have the comorbidity (OR = 0.017, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.01–0.14)
Our research revealed that Chinese gay men aged 25–34 years were most vulnerable to depression, which was inconsistent with previous studies in other countries that LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender) at older age experienced more prejudice [12,40], but gay men in China aged 20–24 years reported a lower level of anxiety and the comorbidity
Summary
A worldwide public health issue, are an increasingly significant barrier to human health. Depression and anxiety as types of mental disorders are currently the most common in the world [1,2]. Depression and anxiety are the most common mental disorders for human health, especially for gay men. This study aimed to assess the status and characteristics of Chinese gay men who were vulnerable to depression, anxiety, or the comorbidity of the two disorders. Results: The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and comorbidity were 36.51%, 27.79%, and 26.16%, respectively among gay men. Conclusions: Depression and/or anxiety are highly prevalent among Chinese gay men. Prevention strategies should be developed to target the related factors in the gay men population to thwart or slow down the situation. It is crucial for social and family members to increase the acceptance of Chinese gay men
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