Morgan M Philbin1, Emily R Greene2, Silvia S Martins2, Natalie J LaBossier3, Pia M Mauro2. 1. Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York. Electronic address: mp3243@columbia.edu. 2. Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York. 3. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Major knowledge gaps regarding medical and nonmedical prescription stimulant use and illegal stimulant use (i.e., cocaine/crack/methamphetamine) by sexual identity and gender have implications for individuals' health and well-being. This study improves stimulant use measurement by differentiating the type of stimulant use and focusing on lesbian, gay, and bisexual subpopulations. METHODS: Data were pooled for adults in the 2015-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n=126,463; analyzed in 2019). Gender-stratified logistic regression models examined associations between sexual identity and past-year illegal stimulant use. Gender-stratified multinomial logistic regression models estimated odds of (1) medical use only versus no past-year prescription stimulant use, (2) any nonmedical stimulant use versus no past-year use, and (3) any nonmedical stimulant use versus medical use only. RESULTS: Illegal stimulant use varied by sexual identity (men: gay, 9.2%; bisexual, 7.5%; heterosexual, 3.2%; women: gay/lesbian, 3.2%; bisexual, 7.8%; heterosexual, 1.5%), as did nonmedical prescription stimulant use. Relative to same-gender heterosexuals, gay (AOR=2.61, 95% CI=2.00, 3.40) and bisexual (AOR=1.70, 95% CI=1.24, 2.33) men had higher odds of past-year illegal stimulant use, as did gay/lesbian (AOR=1.63, 95% CI=1.16, 2.28) and bisexual (AOR=2.70, 95% CI=2.23, 3.26) women. Sexual minorities reported higher odds of nonmedical prescription stimulant use than heterosexuals. Any nonmedical prescription opioid use was reported by 26.4% of people who reported nonmedical stimulant use and 27.0% of people who reported illegal stimulant use. CONCLUSIONS: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals had a higher prevalence of stimulant use than their heterosexual counterparts. This has important implications for health disparities, especially given the high levels of polysubstance use. Taking a multilevel approach is crucial to reduce stimulant-related harms for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
INTRODUCTION: Major knowledge gaps regarding medical and nonmedical prescription stimulant use and illegal stimulant use (i.e., cocaine/crack/methamphetamine) by sexual identity and gender have implications for individuals' health and well-being. This study improves stimulant use measurement by differentiating the type of stimulant use and focusing on lesbian, gay, and bisexual subpopulations. METHODS: Data were pooled for adults in the 2015-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n=126,463; analyzed in 2019). Gender-stratified logistic regression models examined associations between sexual identity and past-year illegal stimulant use. Gender-stratified multinomial logistic regression models estimated odds of (1) medical use only versus no past-year prescription stimulant use, (2) any nonmedical stimulant use versus no past-year use, and (3) any nonmedical stimulant use versus medical use only. RESULTS: Illegal stimulant use varied by sexual identity (men: gay, 9.2%; bisexual, 7.5%; heterosexual, 3.2%; women: gay/lesbian, 3.2%; bisexual, 7.8%; heterosexual, 1.5%), as did nonmedical prescription stimulant use. Relative to same-gender heterosexuals, gay (AOR=2.61, 95% CI=2.00, 3.40) and bisexual (AOR=1.70, 95% CI=1.24, 2.33) men had higher odds of past-year illegal stimulant use, as did gay/lesbian (AOR=1.63, 95% CI=1.16, 2.28) and bisexual (AOR=2.70, 95% CI=2.23, 3.26) women. Sexual minorities reported higher odds of nonmedical prescription stimulant use than heterosexuals. Any nonmedical prescription opioid use was reported by 26.4% of people who reported nonmedical stimulant use and 27.0% of people who reported illegal stimulant use. CONCLUSIONS: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals had a higher prevalence of stimulant use than their heterosexual counterparts. This has important implications for health disparities, especially given the high levels of polysubstance use. Taking a multilevel approach is crucial to reduce stimulant-related harms for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
Authors: Michael W Plankey; David G Ostrow; Ron Stall; Christopher Cox; Xiuhong Li; James A Peck; Lisa P Jacobson Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2007-05-01 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Leah LaRue; Robert K Twillman; Eric Dawson; Penn Whitley; Melissa A Frasco; Angela Huskey; Maria G Guevara Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2019-04-05
Authors: Michael E Newcomb; Daniel T Ryan; George J Greene; Robert Garofalo; Brian Mustanski Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2014-05-17 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Brooke S G Molina; Stephen P Hinshaw; L Eugene Arnold; James M Swanson; William E Pelham; Lily Hechtman; Betsy Hoza; Jeffery N Epstein; Timothy Wigal; Howard B Abikoff; Laurence L Greenhill; Peter S Jensen; Karen C Wells; Benedetto Vitiello; Robert D Gibbons; Andrea Howard; Patricia R Houck; Kwan Hur; Bo Lu; Sue Marcus Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2013-02-08 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: Emma Audrey Adams; Liam Spencer; Michelle Addison; William McGovern; Hayley Alderson; Mark Adley; Ruth McGovern; Eilish Gilvarry; Eileen Kaner; Amy O'Donnell Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-07 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Adam Viera; Jacob J van den Berg; Collette D Sosnowy; Nikita A Mehta; E Jennifer Edelman; Trace Kershaw; Philip A Chan Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2022-03-18
Authors: Tarlise Townsend; David Kline; Ariadne Rivera-Aguirre; Amanda M Bunting; Pia M Mauro; Brandon D L Marshall; Silvia S Martins; Magdalena Cerdá Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2022-03-24 Impact factor: 5.363
Authors: Adam Viera; Collette D Sosnowy; Jacob J van den Berg; Nikita A Mehta; E Jennifer Edelman; Trace Kershaw; Philip A Chan Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2022-01-22 Impact factor: 2.362