OBJECTIVE: To compare sexual orientation group differences in the longitudinal development of alcohol use behaviors during adolescence. DESIGN: Community-based prospective cohort study. SETTING: Self-reported questionnaires. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 13,450 Growing Up Today Study participants (79.7% of the original cohort) aged 9 to 14 years at baseline in 1996 were followed up for more than 7 years. Main Exposure Self-reported sexual orientation classified as heterosexual, mostly heterosexual, bisexual, or gay/lesbian. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age at alcohol use initiation, any past-month drinking, number of alcoholic drinks usually consumed, and number of binge drinking episodes in the past year. RESULTS: Compared with heterosexual participants, youth reporting any minority sexual orientation reported having initiated alcohol use at younger ages. Greater risk of alcohol use was consistently observed for mostly heterosexual males and females and for bisexual females, whereas gay and bisexual males and lesbians reported elevated levels of alcohol use on only some indicators. Gender was an important modifier of alcohol use risk; mostly heterosexual and bisexual females exhibited the highest relative risk. Younger age at alcohol use initiation among participants with minority sexual orientations significantly contributed to their elevated risk of binge drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that disparities in alcohol use among youth with a minority sexual orientation emerge in early adolescence and persist into young adulthood. Health care providers should be aware that adolescents with a minority sexual orientation are at greater risk of alcohol use.
OBJECTIVE: To compare sexual orientation group differences in the longitudinal development of alcohol use behaviors during adolescence. DESIGN: Community-based prospective cohort study. SETTING: Self-reported questionnaires. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 13,450 Growing Up Today Study participants (79.7% of the original cohort) aged 9 to 14 years at baseline in 1996 were followed up for more than 7 years. Main Exposure Self-reported sexual orientation classified as heterosexual, mostly heterosexual, bisexual, or gay/lesbian. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age at alcohol use initiation, any past-month drinking, number of alcoholic drinks usually consumed, and number of binge drinking episodes in the past year. RESULTS: Compared with heterosexual participants, youth reporting any minority sexual orientation reported having initiated alcohol use at younger ages. Greater risk of alcohol use was consistently observed for mostly heterosexual males and females and for bisexual females, whereas gay and bisexual males and lesbians reported elevated levels of alcohol use on only some indicators. Gender was an important modifier of alcohol use risk; mostly heterosexual and bisexual females exhibited the highest relative risk. Younger age at alcohol use initiation among participants with minority sexual orientations significantly contributed to their elevated risk of binge drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that disparities in alcohol use among youth with a minority sexual orientation emerge in early adolescence and persist into young adulthood. Health care providers should be aware that adolescents with a minority sexual orientation are at greater risk of alcohol use.
Authors: Najat J Ziyadeh; Lisa A Prokop; Laurie B Fisher; Margaret Rosario; Alison E Field; Carlos A Camargo; S Bryn Austin Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2006-09-12 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: E Baraona; C S Abittan; K Dohmen; M Moretti; G Pozzato; Z W Chayes; C Schaefer; C S Lieber Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2001-04 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Michael P Marshal; Mark S Friedman; Ron Stall; Kevin M King; Jonathan Miles; Melanie A Gold; Oscar G Bukstein; Jennifer Q Morse Journal: Addiction Date: 2008-04 Impact factor: 6.526
Authors: R Stall; J P Paul; G Greenwood; L M Pollack; E Bein; G M Crosby; T C Mills; D Binson; T J Coates; J A Catania Journal: Addiction Date: 2001-11 Impact factor: 6.526
Authors: Amelia E Talley; Kenneth J Sher; Douglas Steinley; Phillip K Wood; Andrew K Littlefield Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2012-03 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Hee-Jin Jun; S Bryn Austin; Sarah A Wylie; Heather L Corliss; Benita Jackson; Donna Spiegelman; Mathew J Pazaris; Rosalind J Wright Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 2010-07-18 Impact factor: 2.506
Authors: Heather L Corliss; Brianna M Wadler; Hee-Jin Jun; Margaret Rosario; David Wypij; A Lindsay Frazier; S Bryn Austin Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2012-05-11 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Margaret Rosario; Heather L Corliss; Bethany G Everett; Sari L Reisner; S Bryn Austin; Francisco O Buchting; Michelle Birkett Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2013-12-12 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Amelia E Talley; Tonda L Hughes; Frances Aranda; Michelle Birkett; Michael P Marshal Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2013-12-12 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Sarah S Dermody; Michael P Marshal; Jeewon Cheong; Chad Burton; Tonda Hughes; Frances Aranda; Mark S Friedman Journal: J Youth Adolesc Date: 2013-01-17