Marijuana use and sex with multiple partners among lesbian, gay and bisexual youth: Results from a national sample

Citation

Zhang, Xiaoyun & Wu, Li-Tzy (2017). Marijuana use and sex with multiple partners among lesbian, gay and bisexual youth: Results from a national sample. BMC Public Health. vol. 17 (1)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sex with multiple partners (SMP) is one of the important contributing factors for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents and young adults, especially among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) youth. Past studies mainly focus on examining associations of alcohol or club drugs use with unprotected sexual behaviors among adult homo/bisexual men, while little is known about the temporal association between marijuana use (MU) and SMP among LGB youth. METHODS: This study examined the relationship between MU and SMP among LGB adolescents and young adults. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) logistic regression analyses were utilized to analyze four waves' public-use Add Health data (N = 694, youth who reported a homo/bisexual status at any wave; Wave 1: aged 11-21; Wave 4: aged 24-32). RESULTS: After adjusting for other substance use, current depression, mother-child relationship quality at Wave 1, and socioeconomic variables, past-year MU was both concurrently and prospectively associated with past-year SMP. The moderating effect of age was not found. CONCLUSION: MU is concurrently and prospectively associated with increased odds of SMP in the adolescent sample and in the young adult sample. Findings imply that prevention/intervention on HIV risk behaviors may benefit from MU reduction not only in LGB adolescents but also in young adults.

URL

https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3905-0

Keyword(s)

Bisexual youth Gay Lesbian Marijuana use Sex with multiple partners

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

BMC Public Health

Author(s)

Zhang, Xiaoyun
Wu, Li-Tzy

Year Published

2017

Volume Number

17

Issue Number

1

Edition

January 5, 2017

ISSN/ISBN

1471-2458

DOI

10.1186/s12889-016-3905-0

Reference ID

6811