Substance Misuse and Condomless Sex Among Transgender Youth

The purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between substance use and sexual risk behaviors among transgender youth.

Data from the transgender subsample of the Survey of Today's Adolescent Relationships and Transitions (n=1567) were analyzed to assess associations between substance misuse (binge drinking, prescription drug misuse, illicit drugs) and sexual risk behaviors (condom use during sex). Multivariate logistic regression models calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for substance use by sexual risk behavior controlling for race/ethnicity, gender identity (transgender male, transgender female, genderqueer/gender nonconforming), age, sexual identity, and region.

Among participants, lifetime marijuana use (AOR=0.45), cocaine use (AOR=0.46), prescription drug misuse (AOR=0.52), and injecting substances with a needle (AOR=0.45) were all associated with lower odds of reporting condom use during the last act of receptive anal sex. Similarly, marijuana use in the last 30 days (AOR=0.46), lifetime marijuana use (AOR=0.25), heroin use (AOR=0.29), methamphetamine use (AOR=0.32), misuse of prescription drugs (AOR=0.40), and injecting substances with a needle (AOR=0.17) were all associated with lower odds of reporting condom use during the last act of insertive anal sex. No associations between substance use and condom use during last act of receptive frontal (vaginal) sex were found.

We found that transgender youth who reported any lifetime substance use were more likely to report condomless sex during receptive and insertive anal sex than those who did not report substance use. Significant differences exist among demographic groups, type of substance use, and sexual risk behaviors for respondents based on gender identity.