Disparities in Health Risk Behaviors and Health Conditions Among Rhode Island Sexual Minority and Unsure High School Students.

BACKGROUND: Sexual minority students have higher risk for health-related behaviors. We examined 5 domains including 34 health risk behaviors and health conditions among sexual minorities and unsure students in Rhode Island. We also included sexual contact of heterosexually identified students to capture heterosexually identified students who may be considered sexual minorities by their behavior.

METHODS: We used the 2007-2015 Rhode Island Youth Risk Behavior Survey data (N = 14,264). We categorized students into 4 groups: students self-identified as heterosexual and reported no sexual contact with same sex only or both sexes (group 1); self-identified as heterosexual and reported sexual contact with same sex only or both sexes (group 2); self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual (group 3); and responded as unsure (group 4). We used multivariable adjusted logistic regression analyses to evaluate associations of sexual minority and unsure students with 34 health risk behaviors and health conditions accounting for complex sampling design.

RESULTS: Students in groups 2-4 were more likely to engage in health-risk behaviors including violent behaviors, attempted suicide, substance use, and no physical activity than their peers.

CONCLUSIONS: As sexual minority youth continue to report higher rates of health-related risk behaviors, targeted evidence-based prevention approaches must focus on reducing these risk behaviors among those youth.