Association of depression and anxiety with sexual orientation in a convenience sample of Latvian young adults

Objectives. Investigation of Latvian young adult sexual orientation variability and its association with
depression and anxiety.
Materials and Methods. Participants aged 18-30 year old (n = 503) were asked to do a self-administered
anonymous web-based survey. To describe person‘s sexual orientation Kinsey scale was used. Prevalence of
depression and anxiety, univariate and multivariate regression analysis was performed to measure relations
between investigated factors.
Results. A total of 503 participants were included in the study. Mean (SD) value on the Kinsey scale
was 1.4 (1.8) and median (IQR) value was 1.0 (0–2.0) where 0 is defined as ‘exclusively heterosexual’, 1 is
‘mostly heterosexual, only slightly homosexual’ person and 2 is ‘mostly heterosexual, but more than slightly
homosexual’. Prevalence of persons reported violence experience was 20.3%, anxiety 56.3% and depression
37.6%. Logistic regression analysis showed that experience of violence was associated with higher odds
of developing anxiety and depression (OR: 2.6 [95% CI: 1.7–4.0] and 2.4 [95% CI: 1.5–3.9]). Being in
relationship was associated with higher odds of developing anxiety (OR: 2.8 [95% CI: 1.3–6.3]). Male sex
and income 1001–2000 euros a month were associated with lower odds of developing anxiety (OR: 0.4 [95%
CI: 0.2–0.5] and aOR: 0.3 [95% CI: 0.1–0.8]). Sexual orientation showed no significant value in association
with anxiety and depression (OR: 1.1 [95% CI: 1.0–1.2] and OR: 1.1 [95% CI: 1.02–1.2]).
Conclusions. Our study reported that only significant factor in developing depression and anxiety is
experience of violence. Risk of developing anxiety is also increased in females, people in relationships but
not married and with lack of income. Sexual orientation has no significance in association with depres sion
and anxiety.