The Intersection of Sexual Orientation, Substance Use, and Mental Health: Findings from Hints 5

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate (1) the association of tobacco and e-cigarette use with sexual orientation (LGBTQ and heterosexual individuals) and (2) the difference in the association of tobacco and e-cigarette use with self-reported depression by sexual orientation.

The data for this study were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, Cycle 4). Sample participants included 3583 adults (93.87% heterosexuals). We used multinomial regression to measure the relative risk ratios (RRRs) of being a former and current user versus never a user of tobacco and e-cigarettes and binomial regression to measure the odds ratios of depression between the LGBTQ and heterosexuals.

Current smoking prevalence is higher among LGBTQ participants (17.3%) compared to heterosexuals (11.0%). The disparity is even greater for e-cigarette use, with 7.3% of LGBTQ participants being current users versus 2.8% of heterosexuals and 24.5% of LGBTQ participants being former users compared to 9.3% of heterosexuals. Compared to heterosexuals, the relative risk ratio of being a current tobacco user among the LGBTQ participants was about 1.75 times higher [RRR = 1.75, 95%CI = 1.16, 2.64], and that of e-cigarette use was about 2.8 times higher [RRR = 2.81, 95%CI = 1.57, 5.05]. Among current e-cigarette users, heterosexual participants had 1.9 percentage points [risk difference = 1.94, 95%CI = 1.20, 3.13] higher probability of depression, whereas among the LGBTQ participants, the risk was about 3.7 times higher [OR = 3.67, 95%CI = 1.06, 12.74].

Our findings conclude that the LGBTQ are more likely to use tobacco and e-cigarettes compared to heterosexuals and that the risk of depression from e-cigarette smoking is more pronounced among the LGBTQ participants.