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. 2023 Aug 4;13(8):655.
doi: 10.3390/bs13080655.

Problematic Substance Use among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Young Adults during COVID-19

Amanda K Haik  1 , Andrea M Hussong  1
Affiliations

Problematic Substance Use among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Young Adults during COVID-19

Amanda K Haik et al. Behav Sci (Basel). .

Abstract

Sexual minority young adults (SMYAs), compared to heterosexual young adults (HYAs), are a uniquely high-risk population for problematic substance use, a disparity perhaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study tested whether SMYAs had more problematic substance use than HYAs during the pandemic due to isolation and loneliness as well as lower family closeness. Participants (N = 141) aged 23-29 completed self-report surveys in 2014-2015 as college students and in the summer of 2021 as young adults (59% White, 26% Black/African American, 9% Asian/Middle Eastern, 6% Hispanic/Latino, and <1% American Indian/Alaska Native). Results of multivariate regression and multiple group path analyses did not support hypothesized effects-SMYAs did not have greater increases in problematic substance use compared to HYAs, isolation and loneliness were not significant mediators, and family closeness was not a significant moderator. However, SMYAs experienced a lack of social safety-increased loneliness and decreased family closeness-compared to HYAs. Further research is needed to investigate both the impact and underlying processes of this decreased social safety on SMYA well-being beyond the pandemic to better inform tailored supports and interventions.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; sexual minority; substance use; young adult.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Full mediational path analysis: Isolation and loneliness as mediators between sexual orientation and problematic substance use. Note. All pathways are estimated. Only pathways significant at p < 0.05 are depicted. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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