Alcohol use and receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention in a representative sample of sexual minority and heterosexual adults receiving health care.

Lehavot K, Blosnich JR, Glass JE, Williams EC. Alcohol use and receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention in a representative sample of sexual minority and heterosexual adults receiving health care. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2017 Oct 1; 179:240-246.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• CDA 14-408 – Health Outcomes and Healthcare Use Among Transgender Veterans
• CDA 12-276 – Implementation Research for Evidence-based Care for Alcohol Dependence

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence of alcohol disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual individuals in the general population, research has not examined whether there are disparities in receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention - together considered one of the highest prevention priorities for US adults. This study examined differences in alcohol use and receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention across sexual minority status. METHODS: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2014 data from eight US states were used to estimate patterns of alcohol use and receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention among persons reporting sexual orientation and a checkup in the last two years (N = 47,800). Analyses were conducted in 2016-2017. RESULTS: Gay men and bisexual women reported higher rates of alcohol use on some measures compared to heterosexual men and women, respectively. There were some differences in screening and brief intervention by sexual orientation. Lesbian women were more likely to report being asked about heavy episodic drinking than heterosexual women, and among those reporting unhealthy alcohol use, gay men were less likely, and bisexual men were more likely, to report receiving brief intervention compared to heterosexual men. CONCLUSIONS: Overall similarities between sexual minorities and heterosexuals in alcohol use and receipt of screening and brief intervention are encouraging. Nonetheless, research is needed to confirm findings and understand mechanisms underlying disparities in receipt of brief intervention between gay and heterosexual men.