5 replies to this topic

[blood]

People harbouring the highest levels of antigay prejudice found to have a reduced life expectancy (a reduction of 2.5 years).

For those of you still opposed to gay marriage - time to re-evaluate your position?

http://ajph.aphapubl...JPH.2013.301678

Anti-Gay Prejudice and All-Cause Mortality Among Heterosexuals in the United States.

American Journal of Public Health: February 2014, Vol. 104, No. 2, pp. 332-337.

doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301678

Mark L. Hatzenbuehler, Anna Bellatorre, and Peter Muennig.

ABSTRACT

Objectives.
We determined whether individuals who harbor antigay prejudice experience elevated mortality risk.

Methods.
Data on heterosexual sexual orientation (n = 20 226, aged 18–89 years), antigay attitudes, and mortality risk factors came from the General Social Survey, which was linked to mortality data from the National Death Index (1988–2008). We used Cox proportional hazard models to examine whether antigay prejudice was associated with mortality risk among heterosexuals.

Results.
Heterosexuals who reported higher levels of antigay prejudice had higher mortality risk than those who reported lower levels (hazard ratio (HR])= 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09, 1.42), with control for multiple risk factors for mortality, including demographics, socioeconomic status, and fair or poor self-rated health. This result translates into a life expectancy difference of approximately 2.5 years (95% CI = 1.0, 4.0 years) between individuals with high versus low levels of antigay prejudice. Furthermore, in sensitivity analyses, antigay prejudice was specifically associated with increased risk of cardiovascular-related causes of death in fully adjusted models (HR = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.60).

Conclusions.
The findings contribute to a growing body of research suggesting that reducing prejudice may improve the health of both minority and majority populations.

Edited by blood, 28 February 2014 - 02:21 AM.

[Jeoshua]

This is a very causation-correllation problem.

Who is more likely to be noticeably anti-gay? Older people. And what do older people have? An increased risk of death.

Now, there may be something to say about people who have a lot of hate in their hearts not living as long, and that may be true, but the thrust of the conclusion that reducing one's prejudice may improve their lifespan is completely unsupported, as a change in opinion was not tested at all, here. Becomming more loving and accepting may make life better for everyone, overall, but this study is NOT something that proves it in any way, I'm sorry.

[blood]

Who is more likely to be noticeably anti-gay? Older people. And what do older people have? An increased risk of death.

"...with control for multiple risk factors for mortality, including demographics, socioeconomic status, and fair or poor self-rated health."

[Jeoshua]

Fair enough, but that still doesn't answer the second challenge that this doesn't actually show anything about changing one's opinions and becomming more tolerant increasing life spans.

[blood]

I believe there is similar research on racial prejudice (e.g., racist people have higher risk of death) - I haven't had time to look for that research though.

this doesn't actually show anything about changing one's opinions and becomming more tolerant increasing life spans.

True. That would require an experimental research design, where people who harbor high levels of prejudice are given some kind of intervention designed to reduce prejudicial attitudes.

[username]

This is not at all surprising. Someone who is constantly thinking about the way others live their lives doesn't live his life fully himself.
People who are angry, discriminatory etc. are more likely to have psychological problems in general.
People who are assholes aren't happy - and they die earlier.