Substance Use and Sexual Orientation among East and Southeast Asian Adolescents in Canada

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between substance use and sexual orientation among Asian adolescents in Canada. We analyzed an East- and Southeast-Asian subsample of a province-wide, school-based survey (weighted N = 51,349). Compared to heterosexual adolescents of the same gender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and mostly heterosexual adolescents were more likely to use alcohol, marijuana, or other illicit drugs. Particularly, sexual minority girls were at increased risk for substance use. The findings suggest the need for substance use prevention interventions that are sensitive to gender, sexual orientation, and culture.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescents
• asian
• sexual orientation
• substance use

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants to Saewyc from the National Institute of Drug Abuse, NIH [R01-DA17979; Saewyc, PI], the Canadian Institutes for Health Research [HOA-80059; Saewyc, PI and CPP-86374; Saewyc, Chair], and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Vancouver, Canada [CI-SCH-76(03-01); Saewyc, PI].

The authors acknowledge The McCreary Centre Society as the source of the 2003 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey.

Notes

Notes. All data were weighted.

**p < 0.001.

Notes. All data were weighted.

^a Among those who had ever used alcohol;.

^b Among those who used alcohol or drugs in the past year.

*p < 0.01. **p < 0.001.

Notes. All data were weighted.

^a The reference group was heterosexual students;.

^b Among those who had ever used alcohol;.

^c Among those who used alcohol or drugs in the past year.

*p < 0.01. **p < 0.001.