Same-sex couples from areas featuring a stronger ‘no’ vote in the 2017 marriage equality survey visit their GPs less often than their heterosexual peers, despite having greater health needs, research shows.  

Gay Australians who live in communities with ongoing stigmatisation also use more antidepressant medication and are more likely to have poorer health, the Monash University, Melbourne, study finds.

Researchers measured ‘structural stigma’ in 150 different electoral districts using votes against same-sex marriage in the 2017 postal marriage law survey, in which the no vote averaged 38% nationwide. 

They examined the effect of stigma on health using 2016 Census data on healthcare and prescription medicine use among more than 83,000 individuals in same-sex relationships.