title: Risk of substance abuse and dependence among young adult sexual minority groups using a multidimensional measure of sexual orientation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined associations between two definitions of sexual minority status (SMS) and substance abuse and/or dependence among young adults in a national population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 14,152 respondents (7,529 women and 6,623 men) interviewed during wave four of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were included in the study (age range: 24-32 years). We used two definitions of SMS based on self-reported attraction, behavior, and identity: 1-indicator SMS (endorsing any dimension) and 3-indicator SMS (endorsing all dimensions). Outcomes included nicotine dependence as well as ≥3 signs of substance dependence, any sign of substance abuse, and lifetime diagnosis of abuse or dependence for alcohol, marijuana, and a composite measure of other drugs. Weighted logistic regression models were fit to estimate the odds of each outcome for each of the sexual minority groups (compared with the heterosexual majority), controlling for sociodemographic covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SMS women were more likely than exclusively heterosexual women to experience substance abuse and dependence, regardless of substance or SMS definition. In adjusted models for women, 3-indicator SMS was most strongly associated with abuse/dependence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] range: 2.74-5.17) except for ≥3 signs of cannabis dependence, where 1-indicator SMS had the strongest association (AOR=3.35). For men, the 1-indicator SMS group had higher odds of nicotine dependence (AOR=1.35) and the 3-indicator SMS group had higher odds of ≥3 signs of alcohol dependence (AOR=1.64).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young adult female sexual minority groups, regardless of how defined, are at a higher risk than their heterosexual peers of developing alcohol, drug, or tobacco abuse and dependence.
authors: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Maternal and Child Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. skgold@email.unc.edu
authors: Shoshana
authors: S
authors: Goldberg
authors: Kelly L
authors: KL
authors: Strutz
authors: Amy A
authors: AA
authors: Herring
authors: Carolyn T
authors: CT
authors: Halpern
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
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