TY - JOUR
PY - 2019//
TI - Substance use and school characteristics in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual high school students
JO - Journal of school health
A1 - Fallin-Bennett, Amanda
A1 - Goodin, Amie
SP - 219
EP - 225
VL - 89
IS - 3
N2 - BACKGROUND: Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) high school students as well as related environment and school-level risk and protective factors were examined.
METHODS: Data was acquired from the 2015 CDC's Youth Behavior Risk Survey for Kentucky (N = 2577). Prevalence of substance use was calculated for all high school respondents by reported sexual orientation. Multivariate analyses estimated the relationship between school and environmental-level factors (eg, having an adult to talk to) and tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use via logistic regressions. Sexual orientation, gender, age, and race/ethnicity were covariates.
RESULTS: LGB students used tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs more frequently than their heterosexual counterparts. More LGB teens report facing school risk factors (eg, 37% LGB vs 20% heterosexual bullied at school, p ≤ .001; 17% LGB vs 5% heterosexual ever threatened or injured at school, p < .001; 13% LGB vs 7% heterosexual involved in a school fight, p = .001). Adjusting for school related risk factors, having an adult to talk to was associated with a reduced likelihood of daily smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.73), past 30-day alcohol use (aOR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.50-0.95), and ever marijuana use (aOR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.50-1.00).
CONCLUSION: Innovative strategies are needed to create safe, supportive school environments. These strategies are particularly needed in predominately rural states like Kentucky.
© 2019, American School Health Association.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0022-4391 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12731 ID - ref1 ER -