Stress and substance use among sexual and gender minority individuals across the lifespan

Mike C Parent; Andrew S Arriaga; Teresa Gobble; Lexie Wille

doi:10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.100146

Stress and substance use among sexual and gender minority individuals across the lifespan

Neurobiol Stress. 2018 Dec 27:10:100146. doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.100146. eCollection 2019 Feb.

Authors

Mike C Parent¹, Andrew S Arriaga¹, Teresa Gobble¹, Lexie Wille¹

Affiliation

¹ University of Texas at Austin, Department of Educational Psychology, Sanchez 262H, Austin, TX, 78749, USA.

Abstract

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals face marked disparities in substance use. The present narrative review explores research on substance use in SGM communities using a minority stress theory lens. We define the SGM population and minority stress, and explore stresses and substance use disparities in adolescence, adulthood, and older age. Though research on this topic is beginning to highlight the relationship between stress and substance use for SGM individuals, more work is needed on older SGM populations and in translating research findings to effective interventions.

Keywords: Gender minorities; Health disparities; LGBT; Minority stress; Sexual minorities; Substance use.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

P2C HD042849/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States