LGBTQ state policies: A lever for reducing SGM youth substance use and bullying

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Drug Alcohol Depend
• Personal Author:
  Watson, Ryan J. ; Fish, Jessica N. ; Menary, Whitney ; Caba, Antonia ; Cunningham, Casey ; Eaton, Lisa A.
• Description:
  Purpose:
  
  Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) are more likely than their cisgender and heterosexual peers to use substances and to be bullied, yet it is unknown whether the absence/presence of youth- and LGBTQ-specific equity laws drive these disparities. The purpose of this study was to extend previous research focused on adult- and LGBTQ-specific structural factors (e.g., same-sex marriage laws) to determine whether the youths’ structural environment (i.e., state-level LGBTQ youth-focused equity laws) was associated with bullying and recent alcohol use, binge drinking, and cigarette use among SGMY.
  
  Procedures:
  
  We utilized data from the LGBTQ National Teen Survey, collected in 2017 (N = 8,841 sexual and gender minority youth). Linear regression analyses examined the association between bullying and substance use and between state-level LGBTQ youth-focused equity laws (individually and as a composite variable) and bullying and substance use.
  
  Findings:
  
  SGMY living in states with LGBTQ equity laws were less likely to experience bullying. Findings regarding the relation between LGBTQ equity laws and substance use were mixed, such that LGBTQ equity laws were associated with a higher likelihood of binge drinking and alcohol use, and a lower likelihood of cigarette use.
  
  Conclusions:
  
  Findings highlight the role of state-level equity laws in reducing bullying and substance use disparities for SGMY. Yet, given the finding that equity laws were associated with a higher likelihood of binge drinking, it is important to continue to explore how the structural environment shapes SGMY health.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Article Binge Drinking Bullying Female Health Policy Humans LGBTQ Male Peer Group Policies Sexual And Gender Minorities Sexual Behavior Structural Environment Substance-Related Disorders Substance Use Surveys And Questionnaires United States

  More +
• Source:
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 221:108659
• Pubmed ID:
  33676075
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC8026721
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  K01 DA047918/DA/NIDA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; P2C HD041041/HD/NICHD NIH HHSUnited States/ ; R03 DA046827/DA/NIDA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; U48 DP006382/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  221
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:2b0138b88bbcb2637139445ee1c6212806584532e7650aea1b0e4b4850037cb9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/105006/cdc_105006_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 333.94 KB ]