Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MSc)

Department

Health Science

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Todd Coleman

Advisor Role

Proffesor

Abstract

Sexual orientation remains an important but often overlooked determinant of mental health, despite consistent evidence that sexual minority populations in Canada experience disproportionately higher rates of depression compared to heterosexual individuals. These disparities are widely understood through minority stress theory, which highlights how chronic exposure to stigma, discrimination, and structural inequality contributes to adverse mental health outcomes. While existing research documents these inequities, less attention has been given to how they vary across age cohorts shaped by distinct historical and social contexts. Individuals who came of age during periods of criminalization, limited legal protection, and heightened social stigma may carry cumulative mental health burdens that differ from those of younger cohorts raised in more rights-affirming environments.

This study examines whether sexual orientation disparities in depressive symptoms vary across age cohorts in Ontario, Canada using data from the 2015-2016 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a nationally representative dataset. Depressive symptoms are measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and age is categorized into three cohorts reflecting key milestones in Canadian sexual minority rights. Weighted descriptive analyses and multivariate regression models are used to assess associations while adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

In the weighted sample, 6.70% of respondents with valid depression data met the threshold for clinically significant depression. In the adjusted main-effects model, bisexual respondents had significantly higher odds of clinically significant depression than heterosexual respondents (AOR = 3.275, 95% CI  [1.998,  5.366], p < .0001), while the estimate for gay or lesbian respondents was  not statistically significant (AOR =  1.643, 95% CI  [0.970,  2.782], p = 0.0647).  The overall sexual orientation-by-age cohort interaction was not statistically significant (p = 0.3602), indicating insufficient evidence that sexual orientation disparities varied systematically across age cohorts. Overall, depression disparities persisted by sexual orientation, particularly among bisexual respondents, but did not clearly differ across age cohorts.

Convocation Year

2026

Convocation Season

Fall

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Available for download on Sunday, August 26, 2029

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