Sexual orientation-related differences in tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among US adults aged 20 to 59 years: 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

S.D. Cochran, F.C. Bandiera and V.M. Mays

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 10, 1837-1844

Abstract: Objectives. We investigated sexual orientation-related differences in tobacco use and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods. The 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys assessed 11 744 individuals aged 20 to 59 years for sexual orientation, tobacco use, and SHS exposure (cotinine levels 0.05 ng/mL in a nonsmoker). We used multivariate methods to compare tobacco use prevalence and SHS exposure among gay or lesbian (n = 180), bisexual (n = 273), homosexually experienced (n = 388), and exclusively heterosexual (n = 10 903) individuals, with adjustment for demographic confounding. Results. Lesbian and bisexual women evidenced higher rates of tobacco use than heterosexual women. Among nonsmokers, SHS exposure was more prevalent among lesbian and homosexually experienced women than among heterosexual women. Nonsmoking lesbians reported greater workplace exposure and bisexual women greater household exposure than heterosexual women did. Identical comparisons among men were not significant except for lower workplace exposure among nonsmoking gay men than among heterosexual men. Conclusions. Nonsmoking sexual-minority women aremore likely to be exposed to SHS than nonsmoking heterosexual women. Public health efforts to reduce SHS exposure in this vulnerable population are needed.

Keywords: adult; article; comparative study; confidence interval; environmental exposure; female; health survey; human; male; middle aged; passive smoking; prevalence; risk; sexuality; smoking; statistics; United States, Adult; Confidence Intervals; Environmental Exposure; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Prevalence; Sexuality; Smoking; Tobacco Smoke Pollution; United States; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301423_6

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301423

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