Advertisement
AJPH
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow purchase articles
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Right arrow Get other permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Matthews, A. K.
Right arrow Articles by Cassidy, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Matthews, A. K.
Right arrow Articles by Cassidy, R.
Related Collections
Right arrow Community Health
Right arrow Mental Health
Right arrow Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Persons
Right arrow Women's Health
July 2002, Vol 92, No. 7 | American Journal of Public Health 1131-1139
© 2002 American Public Health Association

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Prediction of Depressive Distress in a Community Sample of Women: The Role of Sexual Orientation

Alicia K. Matthews, PhD, Tonda L. Hughes, PhD, RN, Timothy Johnson, PhD, Lisa A. Razzano, PhD and Roberta Cassidy, MS, RN

Alicia K. Matthews is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. Tonda L. Hughes and Roberta Cassidy are with the Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Administrative Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago. Timothy Johnson is with the Survey Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Chicago. Lisa A. Razzano is with the Mental Health Services Research Program, University of Illinois at Chicago.

Correspondence: Alicia K. Matthews, PhD, University of Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, 5841 S Maryland Ave (MC3077), Chicago, IL 60637 (e-mail: Amatthew{at}yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu).

Objectives. This study compared factors known or hypothesized to influence depressive symptomatology in a community sample of lesbians and heterosexual women.

Methods. Data were collected in a multisite survey of lesbians' physical and mental health.

Results. Findings confirmed earlier reports suggesting that traumatic life events such as physical and sexual abuse, and individual traits and coping styles are risk factors for depressive distress. However, findings of higher rates of suicidal behavior and of several risk factors for depressive distress among lesbians suggest that risk for depression may differ among lesbians and heterosexual women.

Conclusions. Sexual orientation may represent an important but poorly understood risk factor for depressive distress as well as suicidal ideation and behavior.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2002 by the American Public Health Association