Dataset Information

Bisexuality, Union Status, and Gender Composition of the Couple: Reexamining Marital Advantage in Health.

ABSTRACT: It has long been documented that married individuals have better health outcomes than unmarried individuals. However, this marital advantage paradigm has been developed primarily based on heterosexual populations. No studies to date have examined the health effects of marriage among bisexuals, one of the most disadvantaged but understudied sexual minority groups, although a few have shown mixed results for gays and lesbians. Similarly, no research has examined how the gender composition of a couple may shape bisexuals' health outcomes above and beyond the effects of sexual orientation. We analyzed pooled data from the 2013-2017 National Health Interview Survey (n = 154,485) and found that the health advantage of marriage applied only to heterosexuals and, to a lesser extent, gays and lesbians. Married bisexuals, however, exhibited poorer health than unmarried bisexuals when socioeconomic status and health behaviors were adjusted for. Moreover, bisexuals in same-gender unions were healthier than bisexuals in different-gender unions primarily because of their socioeconomic advantages and healthier behaviors. Together, our findings suggest that bisexuals, particularly those in different-gender unions, face unique challenges in their relationships that may reduce the health advantage associated with marriage.

SUBMITTER: Hsieh N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7039402 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Bisexuality, Union Status, and Gender Composition of the Couple: Reexamining Marital Advantage in Health.

Hsieh Ning N Liu Hui H

Demography 20191001 5

It has long been documented that married individuals have better health outcomes than unmarried individuals. However, this marital advantage paradigm has been developed primarily based on heterosexual populations. No studies to date have examined the health effects of marriage among bisexuals, one of the most disadvantaged but understudied sexual minority groups, although a few have shown mixed results for gays and lesbians. Similarly, no research has examined how the gender composition of a cou ...[more]

PMID: 31538315

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Project description:BACKGROUND:The growing demand for labour flexibility has resulted in decreasing employment stability that could be associated with poor mental health status. Few studies have analysed the whole of the work force in considering this association since research on flexible forms of employment traditionally analyses employed and unemployed people separately. The gender division of work, and family characteristics related to employment situation, could modify its association with mental wellbeing. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between a continuum of employment stability and mental health taking into account gender and partner/marital status. METHODS:We selected 6859 men and 5106 women currently salaried or unemployed from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey. Employment stability was measured through a continuum from the highest stability among employed to lowest probability of finding a stable job among the long-term unemployed. Mental health was measured with the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire. Logistic regression models were fitted for each combination of partner/marital status and gender. RESULTS:In all groups except among married women employment stability was related to poor mental health and a gradient between a continuum of employment stability and mental health status was found. For example, compared with permanent civil servants, married men with temporary contract showed an aOR?=?1.58 (95%CI?=?1.06-2.35), those working without a contract aOR?=?2.15 (95%CI?=?1.01-4.57) and aOR?=?3.73 (95%CI?=?2.43-5.74) and aOR?=?5.35 (95%CI?=?2.71-10.56) among unemployed of up to two years and more than two years, respectively. Among married and cohabiting people, the associations were stronger among men. Poor mental health status was related to poor employment stability among cohabiting women but not among married ones. The strongest association was observed among separated or divorced people. CONCLUSIONS:There is a rise in poor mental health as the distance from stable employment grows. This result differs according to the interaction with gender and partner/marital status. In Spain this relationship seems to follow a pattern related to the gender division of work in married people but not in other partner/marital situations. Family and socioeconomic context can contribute to explain previous mixed results. Recommendations for research and for action are given.

Dataset Information

Bisexuality, Union Status, and Gender Composition of the Couple: Reexamining Marital Advantage in Health.

Publications

Bisexuality, Union Status, and Gender Composition of the Couple: Reexamining Marital Advantage in Health.

Similar Datasets

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