Sexual orientation disparities in adolescent cigarette smoking: intersections with race/ethnicity, gender, and age.
OBJECTIVE
We examined sexual orientation differences in adolescent smoking and intersections with race/ethnicity, gender, and age.


METHODS
We pooled Youth Risk Behavior Survey data collected in 2005 and 2007 from 14 jurisdictions; the analytic sample comprised observations from 13 of those jurisdictions (n = 64,397). We compared smoking behaviors of sexual minorities and heterosexuals on 2 dimensions of sexual orientation: identity (heterosexual, gay-lesbian, bisexual, unsure) and gender of lifetime sexual partners (only opposite sex, only same sex, or both sexes). Multivariable regressions examined whether race/ethnicity, gender, and age modified sexual orientation differences in smoking.


RESULTS
Sexual minorities smoked more than heterosexuals. Disparities varied by sexual orientation dimension: they were larger when we compared adolescents by identity rather than gender of sexual partners. In some instances race/ethnicity, gender, and age modified smoking disparities: Black lesbians-gays, Asian American and Pacific Islander lesbians-gays and bisexuals, younger bisexuals, and bisexual girls had greater risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, gender, and age should be considered in research and practice to better understand and reduce disparities in adolescent smoking.
At the time of the study, Heather L. Corliss was with the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Margaret Rosario is with the Department of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology, and Clinical Science, and Basic and Applied Social Psychology, City University of New York-City College and Graduate Center, New York, NY. Michelle A. Birkett and Michael E. Newcomb are with the Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Francisco O. Buchting is with Horizons Foundation, San Francisco, CA. Alicia K. Matthews is with the Department of Health Systems Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Heather L
HL
Corliss
Margaret
M
Rosario
Michelle A
MA
Birkett
Michael E
ME
Newcomb
Francisco O
FO
Buchting
Alicia K
AK
Matthews
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology