title: LGBT community, social network characteristics, and smoking behaviors in young sexual minority women.
abstract: Smoking rates among young sexual minority women (YSMW) are disproportionately high as compared to heterosexual populations. While this disparity has commonly been attributed to the sexual minority stress process, little empirical work has explored what may protect YSMW from high rates of smoking. Using data (N = 471) from a cross-sectional study designed to investigate YSMW's (age 18-24) smoking behaviors and correlates; we explore the relationship of LGBT community connections, YSMW's social network characteristics, and stress to smoking behaviors (i.e., status, frequency, amount). Through this analysis, we find support for LGBT community connection as well as friendships with other sexual minorities as protective in relation to YSMW's smoking behaviors. We discuss the implications of our results, highlighting the need for future longitudinal research and interventions designed to bolster YSMW's connections to the LGBT community and their social networks.
authors.affiliation: Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. johnsmm@umich.edu
authors.forename: Michelle Marie
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pingel
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Youatt
authors.forename: Jorge H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: Sara I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bauermeister
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult