Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

6149

Date

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Sociology

Committee Chair

Lariscy Joseph

Committee Member

Loftus Jeni

Committee Member

James Wesley

Abstract

Sexual minorities experience higher rates of negative health behaviors, yet little is known about the mechanisms which contribute to these experiences. Marriage has been shown to provide protective health benefits for those who opt in to the institution. Much of the previous research has primarily focused on marriage between different-sex couples, or estimated same-sex cohabitation. This study utilizes nationally representative secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey, to investigate the potential mediating influence of marriage on the elevated occurrence of negative health behaviors among same-sex couples. In terms of marriage, sexual minorities experience similar marital benefits to heterosexual couples in some respects. This research indicates that marriage is also beneficial for same-sex women, as those women who are married are significantly less likely to report having fair or poor health. Marriage also decreases sexual minority feelings of hopelessness significantly for both genders, although slightly more for women than men.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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