Patient-Centered Communication and Mental Health of Sexual Minority Adults: A Moderated Mediation Model

Health and health care disparities confronting sexual minority (i.e., non-heterosexual identified) adults are well-documented. Meanwhile, patient-centered communication (PCC) is shown to be effective for health care delivery and health promotion among sexual minority individuals. However, there remains a dearth of research that links PCC and sexual minority adults’ mental health. This study examines the relationship between PCC and mental health among sexual minority adults by focusing on the mediating role of patient activation and the moderating role of eHealth. Data from all non-heterosexual identified respondents (N = 350; mean age = 56.23 years; 65.7% female) of the Health Information National Trends Survey collected in 2017 (HINTS 5 Cycle 1) were analyzed. Results indicate that after controlling for respondents’ age, gender, and education, patient activation mediated the relationship between PCC and mental health. Meanwhile, the mediating effect of patient activation was moderated by eHealth. Findings from this study provide a more precise understanding of the mechanism that underlies the relationship between PCC and sexual minority adults’ mental health as well as inform the development of interventions to address their health care disparities.