OBJECTIVE: To determine whether characteristics of the social environment surrounding lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth contribute to their rates of tobacco use after controlling for established community-level risk factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Population-based study of youth. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 31,852 eleventh-grade students (1413 LGB individuals [4.44%]) in Oregon completed the Oregon Healthy Teens survey in 2006-2008. MAIN EXPOSURES: We created a composite index of the social environment in 34 Oregon counties. This measure included the proportion of same-sex couples, the presence of gay-straight alliances in schools, and school policies (nondiscrimination and antibullying) that specifically protected LGB students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Any tobacco use in the past 30 days. RESULTS: A more supportive social environment for LGB youth was significantly associated with reduced tobacco use (odds ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-0.94). This effect remained robust after controlling for sociodemographic variables and multiple community-level risk factors for tobacco use, including median county-level income, exposure to cigarette advertisements, exposure to teacher and peer smoking in schools, and school smoking rules. CONCLUSION: This study documents an association between an objective measure of the social environment and sexual orientation-related disparities in tobacco use. These results highlight the need for structural-level interventions that reduce smoking behaviors in LGB youth.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether characteristics of the social environment surrounding lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth contribute to their rates of tobacco use after controlling for established community-level risk factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Population-based study of youth. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 31,852 eleventh-grade students (1413 LGB individuals [4.44%]) in Oregon completed the Oregon Healthy Teens survey in 2006-2008. MAIN EXPOSURES: We created a composite index of the social environment in 34 Oregon counties. This measure included the proportion of same-sex couples, the presence of gay-straight alliances in schools, and school policies (nondiscrimination and antibullying) that specifically protected LGB students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Any tobacco use in the past 30 days. RESULTS: A more supportive social environment for LGB youth was significantly associated with reduced tobacco use (odds ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-0.94). This effect remained robust after controlling for sociodemographic variables and multiple community-level risk factors for tobacco use, including median county-level income, exposure to cigarette advertisements, exposure to teacher and peer smoking in schools, and school smoking rules. CONCLUSION: This study documents an association between an objective measure of the social environment and sexual orientation-related disparities in tobacco use. These results highlight the need for structural-level interventions that reduce smoking behaviors in LGB youth.
Authors: S D Cochran; V M Mays; D Bowen; S Gage; D Bybee; S J Roberts; R S Goldstein; A Robison; E J Rankow; J White Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2001-04 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Geetanjali Dabral Datta; S V Subramanian; Graham A Colditz; Ichiro Kawachi; Julie R Palmer; Lynn Rosenberg Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2006-05-02 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: Brian Mustanski; Michelle Birkett; George J Greene; Mark L Hatzenbuehler; Michael E Newcomb Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2013-12-12 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Heather L Corliss; Margaret Rosario; Michelle A Birkett; Michael E Newcomb; Francisco O Buchting; Alicia K Matthews Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2014-04-17 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Carolyn M Porta; Heather L Corliss; Jennifer M Wolowic; Abigail Z Johnson; Katie Fritz Fogel; Amy L Gower; Elizabeth M Saewyc; Marla E Eisenberg Journal: J LGBT Youth Date: 2017-01-13