Abstract
The aim was to examine social, university, health-related differences among heterosexual and Sexual Minority Medical students (SM-Meds), and explore predictors of help-seeking behavior (i.e., current psychological support and hypothetical university counseling use). A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in Italy (2018). Questionnaires included socio-demographic items and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Chi-squared tests and multivariable regressions adjusted for BDI-II score were performed (sample size = 2513).
SM-Meds were 13.9%. SM-Meds with depressive symptoms were 40.5%. Both considering overall and non-depressed students, SM-Meds exercised less and had worst relationships with family and classmates. Psychological support was reported by 6.1% (SM-Meds: 12.8%) and hypothetical counseling use by 42.7% (SM-Meds: 47.1%). Multivariable models showed SM-Meds had significant higher likelihood of psychological support. Therefore, SM-Meds reported higher help-seeking behavior, lower physical activity and social support. Universities should promote more inclusive learning climate and activities to increase exercise, especially among SM-Meds.
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Data cannot be shared publicly because of Ethics Committee restriction. All relevant data are within the paper.
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Conceptualization: Giuseppina Lo Moro, Paolo Leombruni, Fabrizio Bert, Roberta Siliquini; Methodology: Giuseppina Lo Moro, Paolo Leombruni, Fabrizio Bert, Roberta Siliquini; Formal analysis and investigation: Giuseppina Lo Moro, Paolo Leombruni, Fabrizio Bert; Writing - original draft preparation: Giuseppina Lo Moro, Paolo Leombruni, Fabrizio Bert; Writing - review and editing: Giuseppina Lo Moro, Paolo Leombruni, Fabrizio Bert, Roberta Siliquini; Resources: Roberta Siliquini & PRIMES Collaborating Group; Supervision: Paolo Leombruni, Fabrizio Bert, Roberta Siliquini.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The Ethics Committee of University of Turin approved the protocol (Prot. 420,112, 12/10/2018).
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Giuseppina Lo Moro and Paolo Leombruni are the co-first Authors
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Lo Moro, G., Leombruni, P., Bert, F. et al. Mental health of medical students belonging to sexual minorities: A focus on help-seeking behavior in an Italian multicenter survey. Curr Psychol 42, 4336–4340 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01541-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01541-w