Sexual and Gender Minority College Students and Tobacco Use in Texas

Introduction Most research regarding sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations is limited to examination of cigarette or general tobacco use or does not examine heterogeneity across SGM groups other than lesbian or gay and bisexual individuals. This study examined differences in the odds of current use and age of initiation of five tobacco/nicotine products among three groups of SGM young adults who self-identified as (1) gay or lesbian, (2) bisexual, and (3) queer, transgender, or "other," compared to their heterosexual peers. Methods Participants were 4252 college students aged 18-29 years from 24 colleges in Texas who completed an online tobacco use survey. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to examine the odds of SGM participants currently using each tobacco product. Multilevel linear regression models were used to examine the association of current product users' SGM status with self-reported age of each product's initiation. All models were adjusted for sociodemographic factors and accounted for students clustered within each college. Results At least one SGM group had significantly greater odds of currently using every tobacco product type compared to heterosexual participants, except hookah. There were few differences across groups in age of initiation. However, queer, transgender, and "other-" identified participants initiated e-cigarettes 1.34 years younger than heterosexual participants, and bisexual participants initiated smokeless tobacco 3.66 years younger than heterosexual participants. Conclusions Findings highlight some significant tobacco use disparities among SGM young adults compared to their heterosexual peers. Longitudinal studies with larger group sizes will identify prospective predictors of sustained SGM-related tobacco use disparities. Implications This study extends the current literature by including the sexual and gender minority identity options of queer, transgender, and "other," highlighting disparities in tobacco use between young adults in these subgroups compared to their heterosexual peers, particularly in noncigarette tobacco product use. Findings underscore the need for the Food and Drug Association and other health agencies to tailor health communication efforts specific to sexual and gender minority populations pertaining to the risks and harms surrounding tobacco product use.