Illicit drug use among lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, trans and gender diverse, queer and asexual young people in Australia: Intersections and associated outcomes.

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Country of Publication: Australia NLM ID: 9015440 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1465-3362 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09595236 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Drug Alcohol Rev Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: Original Publication: Abingdon, Oxfordshire, U.K. : Carfax Pub. Co.,

Sexual and Gender Minorities* ; Homosexuality, Female* ; Substance-Related Disorders*/epidemiology ; Illicit Drugs*; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Australia/epidemiology

Introduction: High rates of illicit drug use have been reported among gay and bisexual young men, however limited research has examined patterns of drug use among the broader population of lesbian, pansexual, trans and gender diverse, asexual and queer (LGBTQA) young people. We examined factors associated with illicit drug use in the past 6 months and lifetime experiences of self-reported concern with drug use among LGBTQA youth in Australia.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 6418 LGBTQA participants aged 14-21 years, 5914 of whom provided information relating to their use of illicit drugs. Multivariable logistic regressions examined demographic factors and life experiences associated with drug use in the past 6 months and lifetime experiences of self-reported concern with drug use.
Results: Overall, 26.4% of participants aged 14-17 and 41.9% aged 18-21 reported any drug use in the past 6 months, of whom 23.5% had ever been concerned about their drug use. Cannabis use was most commonly reported (28.3%), followed by ecstasy/MDMA (7.1%), antidepressants (5.6%) and LSD (3.5%). Higher odds of drug use were reported among cisgender men and those who had experienced homelessness or sexual harassment in the past 12 months. Higher odds of self-identified concern about drug use were observed among participants reporting challenging life experiences.
Discussion and Conclusions: Rates of illicit drug use among LGBTQA young people in this study were considerably higher than those observed in general population youth studies in Australia and were further elevated among those who had experienced LGBTQA-related prejudice or harassment, or homelessness.
(© 2022 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

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ACT Office for LGBTIQ+ Affairs; Department of Premier and Cabinet, State Government of Victoria; NSW Ministry of Health; Office of the Chief Psychiatrist, South Australia

Keywords: Australia; LGBTQA; drug use; substance use; youth

0 (Illicit Drugs)

Date Created: 20221205 Date Completed: 20230322 Latest Revision: 20230324

20230324

10.1111/dar.13585

36469420