Comparing quality of life between Swedish adolescents and young adults from sexual minorities and heterosexual groups

• Objectives: To investigate the relationship between sexual identity and socio- demographics, sexual experience, health, experience of child abuse, sexual exploitation and present behavior among Swedish adolescents and young adults.Methods: A cross-sectional survey with 3,503 adolescents completing a  survey  about their sexuality, health and abuse at a mean age of 18.3 years. In addition, 362 members of the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights completed the same survey at a mean age of 21.4 years.Results: Sexual minority respondents were more likely to say that their parental relationship was based on low care and high overprotection and they used alcohol and other drugs to a significantly higher extent than their heterosexual peers. Multivariate analysis showed a positive correlation between sexual minority and  low  self-esteem, poor mental health and experience of sexual abuse, physical abuse and sexual exploitation.Conclusion: The sexual minority group had a lower quality of life than their heterosexual peers and professionals need to be more aware that they are more vulnerable in a number of respects, including an increased risk of having experienced child abuse, and offer them different forms of support.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Sexual minority

child abuse

health

self-esteem

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)