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Abstract
In this article the author describes the historical context for research on sexual minority women's drinking, including the age-old tendency to link homosexuality and alcoholism; the author summarizes gaps and limitations that characterized much of the research on sexual minority women's drinking over the past several decades and reviews recent literature to highlight progress in the field—with a particular focus on the author's own research related to risk and protective factors for heavy drinking and drinking-related problems among sexual minority women. The article concludes with a discussion of barriers to treatment for sexual minority women and recommendations for substance abuse treatment providers.
Notes
This research was supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grants K01 AA00266 and R01 AA13328 awarded to Dr. Tonda Hughes. The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) or the National Institutes of Health. The author is grateful to NIAAA for this funding and to the women who participated in the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study. I would also like to acknowledge the CHLEW research team's contributions, many which are highlighted in this article.
1The term sexual minority used throughout this review is primarily for convenience. It is shorter than the more commonly used lesbian/gay/bisexual terminology, and broad enough to include women who have same-sex partners but do not identify as lesbian or bisexual. Although the term sexual minority sometimes includes transgender individuals, this review excludes studies that focus exclusively on this group.