Sexual and Gender Minority U.S. Youth Tobacco Use: Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 3, 2015-2016

Abstract

Introduction: Tobacco use disparities by sexual identity are well characterized among adults, but relatively less is known about tobacco use disparities in sexual minority youth. Moreover, no national study has reported tobacco use behaviors among gender minority (e.g., transgender) youth.

Methods: Data from Wave 3 (2015-2016) of the Population Assessment of Health Study from youth aged 14-17 years (n=7,772), analyzed in 2018, were stratified by transgender identity, sex, and sexual identity to describe tobacco product use.

Results: Transgender youth (n=79) were more likely to report ever use of tobacco products compared with nontransgender youth (electronic nicotine products, 40.2% vs 23.0%; cigarettes, 33.9% vs 14.1%; and smokeless tobacco, 21.5% vs 6.0%, respectively) and more likely to report past 30-day use of these products. Similarly, female sexual minority youth, compared with straight female youth, were more likely to report ever use of electronic nicotine products (37.9% vs 20.1%); cigarettes (28.9% vs 12.0%); cigars (11.3% vs 5.2%); hookah (12.7% vs 7.6%); and past 30-day use of electronic nicotine products, cigarettes, and cigars. Among male youth, sexual minority youth were more likely to report ever use of cigarettes compared with straight youth (25.1% vs 13.5%), but they did not differ in ever or past 30-day use of any other tobacco products.

Conclusions: Sexual minority youth and transgender youth are more likely to use tobacco products compared with their nonminority peers. Similar to patterns among adults, this is especially true for female sexual minority youth. This information is useful for developing communication and education efforts to prevent youth tobacco initiation in these high-risk groups.