Stress and substance use among sexual and gender minority individuals

Sexual and gender minority individuals face marked disparities in substance use.

This narrative review explores research on substance use in sexual and gender minority communities. The authors define the sexual and gender minority population and minority stress and explore stresses and substance use disparities in adolescence, adulthood, and older age.

Though research on this topic is beginning to highlight the relationship between stress and substance use for sexual and gender minority individuals, more work is needed on older sexual and gender minority populations and in translating research findings to effective interventions.