LGBs

1
LGBs Alcohol/Drug Misuse

• Jan Bridget
• Lesbian Information Service
• Gay and Lesbian Youth in Calderdale

2
U.S.A. All Ages (1)

• Early research higher levels of alcohol/drug use
  and abuse among the LGB population than het.
  population.
• Early research reliant on contacting LGB people
  via gay bars which could account for high levels
  of use.
• Difficult to make comparisons because of problems
  with definitions of use and abuse, sexual
  orientation.
• Appears to be greater abuse of alcohol among
  lesbians than het. women gay men seem to have
  similar levels of consumption as het. men.
• Some studies suggest little difference between
  lesbians and heterosexual women.

3
USA All Ages (2)

• Many others found higher levels of use and abuse
  among lesbian and bisexual women.
• Rate of drinking among lesbians not decline with
  age like the general population.
• Even comparing lesbians and het. women who abused
  alcohol, lesbians had more difficulties relating
  to consumption and greater alcohol-related
  morbidity..
• There are higher levels of drug use among gay men
  than heterosexual men.

4
U.S.A. Youth

• Many studies have found LGB young people to be
  significantly more likely to use alcohol and
  drugs, in particular hard drugs, than
  heterosexual young people.
• Some studies have found little differences
  between young gay men and young heterosexual men
  but higher levels of consumption by bisexual
  young men and higher levels among young lesbian
  and bisexual women than heterosexual young women
  bisexual young women seem to be the most
  vulnerable.
• Young LGB people who have been bullied at school
  are more likely to abuse substances.
• Some studies have found higher levels of more
  serious drug use among young gay and bisexual men.

5
Elsewhere All Ages

• Swedish study found higher levels of alcohol use
  among lesbians than heterosexual women but not
  among gay men.
• Australian study found higher levels of alcohol
  and drug use among LGBQ population than
  heterosexual population.
• Norwegian survey found higher levels of alcohol
  use among lesbian and gay population than
  heterosexual population

6
Australia, 2010

• 33 smoked tobacco, much higher proportion than
  women in general community smoking most common
  in 16-24 year olds (43)
•  86 used alcohol 55 consumed more than the
  recommended guidelines to reduce lifetime risk of
  alcohol related disease or injury 28 drank at
  levels likely to put them at risk of
  alcohol-related injury on a single drinking
  occasion. Risky drinking was higher than in the
  general community
• In the preceding six months, 49 had used one or
  more illicit drugs including cannabis (36),
  ecstasy (18) and speed (16). Rates of drug use
  were much higher than in the general community

7
Elsewhere Youth

• Australian study found young lesbians more likely
  than heterosexual young women to use alcohol
• Norwegian study found young lesbian and gays
  twice as likely as heterosexual youth to use
  illegal drugs.
• Another Australian survey found LGB young people
  more likely than heterosexual young people to use
  illegal drugs, this was particularly noticeable
  among young lesbians and bisexual women.
• A further Australian study found higher levels of
  binge drinking and injected drug use among LGB
  young people than among heterosexual youth.

8
Britain All Ages

• Whilst there have been several drug surveys which
  show significant use of illegal drugs among the
  LGB population, few compare consumption levels
  with heterosexuals.
• Several surveys have found higher levels of
  alcohol use among lesbians than heterosexual
  women.
• A study in north west England found higher levels
  of illegal drug use among gay men than among
  heterosexual population.

9
King McKeown (2003) 656 gay men, 505 het men
430 lesbians, 588 het women 85 bi men, 113 bi
women urban areas England /Wales

• AUDIT scale, similar levels of alcohol misuse
  among gay men (9.17), heterosexual men (9.24) and
  bisexual men (9.41)
• significantly higher levels of alcohol misuse
  among lesbians (8.09) and bisexual women (8.58)
  than among heterosexual women (6.46)
• higher levels of recreational drug use among gay
  men (52) and bisexual men (64) than among
  heterosexual men (45) within the past month
• higher levels of recreational drug use among gay
  men (77) and bisexual men (74) than among
  heterosexual men (72) ever
• higher levels of recreational drug use among
  lesbians (44) and bisexual women (52) than
  among heterosexual women (33) within the past
  month
• higher levels of recreational drug use among
  lesbians (79) and bisexual women (84) than
  among heterosexual women (60) ever

10
Stonewall men, 2012

• Two thirds of gay and bisexual men have smoked at
  some time in their life compared to half of men
  in general
•  A quarter of gay and bisexual men currently
  smoke compared to 22 per cent of men in general
•  More than two in five (42 per cent) gay and
  bisexual men drink alcohol on three or more days
  a week compared to 35 per cent of men in general
•  Half of gay and bisexual men have taken drugs in
  the last year compared to just one in eight men
  in general

11
Stonewall women, 2011

• Two thirds of lesbian and bisexual women have
  smoked compared to half of women in general just
  over a quarter currently smoke.
• Nine in ten lesbian and bisexual women drink and
  40 per cent drink three times a week compared to
  a quarter of women in general.
• Lesbian and bisexual women are five times more
  likely to have taken drugs over one in ten have
  taken cocaine, compared to three per cent of
  women in general.

12
Lesbian Gay Foundation 2012 4,000 LGBTs

• over a fifth of respondents scored as dependent
  on a substance, and a quarter showed at least one
  indicator of dependency
• 34 of gay and bisexual men and 29 of lesbian
  and bisexual women binge-drink at least one or
  twice a week, around twice as common than in the
  wider population
• 35 of those surveyed had taken at least one
  illicit substance in the last month, which is
  around seven times more common than in the
  general population. 

13
Britain Youth

• Bridget (1991) 20 young lesbian/bisexual women
  50 serious drink problems 50 used drugs
• Mullen (1999) 169 young LGBs 22 more than
  recommended levels 15 thought problem 50 used
  drugs
• Bridget (2000) 22 young LGBs 21 used alcohol 6
  too much 16 get drunk 9 marijuana 4 hard drugs
• Carolan Redmond (2003) 362 young LGBT (36
  female, 63 male)
• 34 (n123) had experienced alcohol misuse 35
  (n81) male, 33 (n43) female increases
  significantly for transgender - 50 (n7)
• 23 (n82) experienced drug misuse, 23 (n53)
  male, 22 (n29) female increases significantly
  for transgender 43 (n6)
• Stonewall (2011) (2012) LGF (2012) all found
  problems greater amongst younger participants.