Lehavot K, et al. – Researchers performed this examination to investigate differences in alcohol use and receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention across sexual minority status. They concluded that overall similarities between sexual minorities and heterosexuals in alcohol use and receipt of screening and brief intervention were encouraging.

Methods

• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2014 information from 8 US states were utilized to assess patterns of alcohol use and receipt of alcohol screening and brief intervention among persons reporting sexual orientation and a checkup over the most recent two years (N = 47,800).
• Examinations were led in 2016–2017.

Results

• The results of this study showed that gay men and bisexual women reported higher rates of alcohol use on some measures compared to heterosexual men and women, respectively.
• Notably, there were some differences in screening and brief intervention by sexual orientation.
• Findings revealed that lesbian women were more likely to report being asked about heavy episodic drinking than heterosexual women, and among those reporting unhealthy alcohol use, gay men were less likely, and bisexual men were more likely, to report receiving brief intervention compared to heterosexual men.