Rev Med Chil. 2025 Apr;153(4):268-278. doi: 10.4067/s0034-98872025000400268.
ABSTRACT
International studies show that bisexual people tend to experience higher levels of mental health problems than gays, lesbians, and heterosexuals. However, there is little research on this group in the Latin American and Chilean context.
AIM: To describe and compare the mental health of bisexual women and men in Chile, with respect to their gay, lesbian and heterosexual counterparts.
MATERIALS AND METHOD: A stratified and multistage probabilistic sample of 20,392 people aged 18 years and over, residing in urban areas of Chile, obtained through the Second National Survey on Health, Sexuality, and Gender (ENSSEX-2022) was used. Participants completed a 305-question survey, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) to assess depressive and anxiety symptomatology, and a question to assess sexual orientation. Weighted linear regression models were performed to compare levels of depression and anxiety between different sexual orientation groups, using bisexual women as the reference group. The variables of age and educational level were controlled.
RESULTS: The analyses revealed that bisexual women reported significantly higher scores on depressive and anxious symptoms compared to the other groups (heterosexual women, heterosexual men, lesbian women, gay men), except for bisexual men, who also exhibited high levels in both variables.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides information that can support public policies, support and awareness programs, as well as the promotion of equality towards different sexual orientations, with a particular focus on bisexual women.
PMID:40493475 | DOI:10.4067/s0034-98872025000400268
