Psychological Distress and Barriers to Medical and Mental Healthcare in Bisexual Men and Women

The purpose of the current study was to examine the experiences of psychological distress and barriers to care among bisexual men and women in comparison to their gay/lesbian counterparts.

A nationally diverse sample of 2,500 LGB-identified individuals participated in the online study. Participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and questions assessing their barriers to primary care, mental health, and gynecological services (females only).

When compared to their gay/lesbian counterparts, both bisexual men and women reported greater anxiety symptoms, with bisexual women also reporting higher levels of depression and stress. In addition, when compared to the gay/lesbian sample, a greater percentage of bisexual men and women endorsed the following barriers to care: less likely to feel comfortable discussing their sexual orientation with medical and mental healthcare providers; perceived limited availability of medical providers in their area; less likely to be asked about their sexual orientation by their provider; and less likely to think it is important for their provider to be aware of their sexual orientation. In comparison to their lesbian counterparts, more bisexual women reported a need for mental health care and a history of mental health concerns. In comparison to their gay counterparts, more bisexual men were uninsured and reported that they had avoided mental healthcare due to fears of discrimination/mistreatment.

Overall, not only do bisexual men and women face different barriers to care, these barriers appear to be systematically impacting their mental health above and beyond their gay/lesbian counterparts. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.