Mental Health Among Minoritized Individuals in the United States

Stephanie Hernandez , University of Texas at San Antonio
Patrice Sparks, University of Texas at San Antonio

Objective: To examine the relationship between minoritized identity and mental health. Methods: Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted on males and females separately using nationally representative data collected from the 2013-2017 NHIS. Individuals were placed in one of four categories: no minoritized identities; minoritized identities of race/ethnicity only (MIoRE); minoritized identities of sexuality only (MIoS); or minoritized identities of both race/ethnicity and sexuality (MIoRES). Four dichotomous measures of mental health were considered. Results: Individuals with MIoRE were less likely to report poor mental health and individuals with MIoS were more likely to report poor mental health compared to individuals with no minoritized identities. Among individuals with MIoRES, only males were more likely to report poor mental health compared to individuals with no minoritized identities. Conclusion: There remains a need to identify the pathways through which minoritization is detrimental or protective for mental health.

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 Presented in Session 9. Marriage, Family, Households, & Unions; Gender, Race, & Ethnicity