Alcohol Use and Alcoholrelated Problems Among Lesbians and Gay Men

Abstract

While a substantial amount is known about some of the risk factors for alcohol-related problems among lesbians and gay men, major gaps in knowledge exist. Epidemiological studies focusing on alcohol use rarely ask about sexual orientation, and broad-based studies of sexual minority population groups have only occasionally assessed alcohol use. Although the AIDS crisis has stimulated substantial research on alcohol and other substance use among gay men, only a handful of studies have systematically explored lesbians’ use of alcohol. Further, existing research on sexual orientation and alcohol use is characterized by a plethora of methodological problems. Nevertheless, when viewed as a whole, this research suggests that lesbians and gay men are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to drink alcohol and to report alcohol-related problems; differences based on sexual orientation are more pronounced for women than for men. Risks related to alcohol use do not stem from sexual orientation per se, but are more likely a consequence of cultural and environmental factors associated with being part of a stigmatized and marginalized population. Much of the research on alcohol use among sexual minorities has focused on White, middle-class, and well-educated lesbians and gay men. There is a clear need for more research with bisexual women and men and with sexual minority members of color. Longitudinal studies, including those that focus on treatment effectiveness, are particularly lacking.