Assessing the Association Between School Victimization and Binge Drinking Among Sexual Minority Youth

Introduction

Alcohol use among high school students, particularly high-risk drinking behaviors, are a significant public health concern. Substance use during adolescence is associated with increased risk of both acute and long-term adverse health outcomes. Sexual minority youth (SMY) are more likely to initiate alcohol use at a younger age and engage in binge drinking when compared to their heterosexual peers. There are also significant differences between the risky alcohol use behaviors among sexual minority identities. Recent research has suggested school-based victimization disproportionately impacts SMY and is associated with an increased risk of binge drinking. Through this study we hope to determine the association between binge drinking and sexual identity among high school students and assess if school-based victimization moderates this relationship

Methods

This cross sectional study utilized data from a nationally representative sample of United States high school students (n=26,675) collected in the 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between sexual minority identity and binge drinking. In addition, we tested for moderation of the relationship by school-based victimization.

Results

When compared to their heterosexual peers, bisexual female students were significantly more likely to report binge drinking within the past 30 days. School-based victimization moderate this association.

Conclusion

Bisexual females are at a higher risk of participating in binge drinking when compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Our results suggest interventions to reduce school-based victimization may play an important role in addressing risky drinking behavior in this population.