UCSF

Objective

Sexual minority (SM) young adults have higher rates of substance use than heterosexuals, but little is known about daily use of multiple substances, which confer numerous health risks for this population. Using daily diary data from a smartphone-based study, we examined the associations between sexual identity (i.e., SM vs. heterosexual) and patterns of same-day multiple substance use (i.e., cigarettes and alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis, alcohol and cannabis, and all 3 substances).

Method

Young adult smokers (N = 147, aged 18-26, 51.7% female, 41.5% SM, 40.8% White) reported consecutive daily assessments on substance use over 30 days. We used generalized estimating equations to examine associations between sexual identity and patterns of same-day multiple substance use, controlling for demographic factors and psychological distress.

Results

Of 2,891 daily assessments, 16.7% reported same-day use of cigarettes and alcohol, 18.1% cigarettes and cannabis, 1.5% alcohol and cannabis, and 15.0% use of all 3 substances. SM participants (vs. heterosexuals) had significantly greater odds of reporting days with use of cigarettes and cannabis [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.05, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [1.04, 4.01]] and use of all three substances (AOR = 2.79, 95% CI [1.51, 5.14]) than days with single substance use or no use.

Conclusions

These findings warrant tailored interventions addressing multiple substance use among SM young adults and temporally accurate measures of multiple substance use patterns. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).