Sexual minority identifiers and their perception of illicit drug use risks in the US: Results from a National Survey.
Yen-Han Lee, Yen-Chang Chang, Mack Shelley, Humberto López Castillo
Journal of psychiatric research July 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.010 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSexual minority adults in the United States—particularly those identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual—are more likely than their heterosexual peers to perceive illicit drug use (LSD, heroin, cocaine) as low risk. Analysis of five waves of a national survey (2015–2019) with over 205,000 participants showed that among men, about 11% viewed illicit drug use as moderate risk and 2% as low risk; among women, about 6% viewed it as moderate risk and 1% as low risk. After accounting for sex, identifying as lesbian/gay or bisexual was associated with higher odds of perceiving low risk compared to heterosexual identification. Prevention strategies should address these disparities.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 205,418 |
| Population | US adults from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2015-2019) |
| Duration | 2015-2019 |
| Keywords | Sexual minority Substance abuse prevention Lgbtq+ health disparities Drug risk perception Public health research |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key finding | Participants identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual had higher odds of perceiving low risk from illicit drug use compared to heterosexual participants. |
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between sexual identities and perception of risks associated with illicit drug use among a nationally representative sample of US adults. We analyzed data from five waves of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH, 2015-2019), with 205,418 adult participants. Six survey questions assessing participants' perceptions of the risks associated with illicit drug use (LSD, heroin, and cocaine) were subjected to principal component analysis. Sex-stratified ordered logistic regressions were used to explore potential disparities in perceptions regarding the risk associated with illicit drug use among sexual minority identifiers. Among male participants, approximately 11.3% and 1.8% of them perceived illicit drug use as moderate and low risks, respectively. About 6.0% of female participants perceived illicit drug use as moderate risk, and 1.1% of female participants perceived it as low risk. The sex-stratified regression models demonstrated that participants who identified as lesbian/gay or bisexual all had higher odds of reporting low perception of illicit drug use risks as compared to their heterosexual counterparts (all p < 0.01). Illicit drug use prevention strategies should consider risk perception disparities by sexual minority populations.