State laws legalizing same-sex marriage result in gay men leading healthier lives and spending less on health care costs, especially those related to mental health issues, according to a study led by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and published in the American Journal of Public Health. The study examined health care for 1,211 gay and bisexual men attending a Massachusetts clinic after the state legalized same-sex marriage in 2003. The researchers found a 13 percent reduction in medical visits and a 14 percent drop in health care costs. In addition, the men experienced fewer stress-related ailments—depression, hypertension and adjustment disorders. These benefits were shared by both single and partnered men.

To read the Columbia University article, click here.