Sexual orientation disparities in adolescent cigarette smoking: Intersections with race/ethnicity, gender, and age

H.L. Corliss, M. Rosario, M.A. Birkett, M.E. Newcomb, F.O. Buchting and A.K. Matthews

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 6, 1137-1147

Abstract: Objectives. We examined sexual orientation differences in adolescent smoking and intersections with race/ethnicity, gender, and age. Methods. We pooled Youth Risk Behavior Survey data collected in 2005 and 2007 from 14 jurisdictions; the analytic sample comprised observations from 13 of those jurisdictions (n = 64 397). We compared smoking behaviors of sexual minorities and heterosexuals on 2 dimensions of sexual orientation: identity (heterosexual, gay-lesbian, bisexual, unsure) and gender of lifetime sexual partners (only opposite sex, only same sex, or both sexes). Multivariable regressions examined whether race/ethnicity, gender, and age modified sexual orientation differences in smoking. Results. Sexual minorities smoked more than heterosexuals. Disparities varied by sexual orientation dimension: they were larger when we compared adolescents by identity rather than gender of sexual partners. In some instances race/ethnicity, gender, and age modified smoking disparities: Black lesbians- gays, Asian American and Pacific Islander lesbians-gays and bisexuals, younger bisexuals, and bisexual girls had greater risk. Conclusions. Sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, gender, and age should be considered in research and practice to better understand and reduce disparities in adolescent smoking.

Keywords: adolescent; age; ancestry group; article; bisexuality; ethnic group; female; health disparity; human; lesbianism; male; male homosexuality; psychological aspect; sex difference; sexual behavior; smoking; statistics; United States, Adolescent; Age Factors; Bisexuality; Continental Population Groups; Ethnic Groups; Female; Health Status Disparities; Homosexuality, Female; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Male; Sex Factors; Sexual Behavior; Smoking; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301819_5

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301819

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