Gender and sexual identity and harms from others' drinking among U.S. college students: Results from a multi-campus survey

J Am Coll Health. 2024 Oct;72(7):1978-1982. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2112045. Epub 2022 Aug 29.

Abstract

Background: College is a critical life stage for alcohol-related harms to others (AHTOs), gender, and sexual identity. We tested associations between inclusively-defined gender and sexual identities (separately) and AHTOs among college students.

Methods: The Healthy Minds Study (n = 8,308) provided data about three AHTOs: (1) babysitting a drunk student, (2) alcohol-related unwanted sexual advance, and (3) alcohol-related sexual assault. Independent variables included gender and sexual identity.

Results: One in four students (25.5%) reported babysitting, 6.2% reported unwanted advances, and 1.2% reported sexual assaults. Compared to cisgender males, cisgender females had higher odds of reporting babysitting (aOR = 1.36, p < 0.001) and unwanted advances (aOR = 2.59, p < 0.001); trans masculine students had higher odds of reporting sexual assaults (aOR = 4.49, p = 0.04).

Conclusions: AHTOs are prevalent on college campuses, and cisgender female and trans masculine students have higher odds of experiencing them. Alcohol interventions may protect cisgender female and gender minority students from the drinkers around them.

Keywords: Alcohol; alcohol-related harms to others; college; gender minority; health disparities; sexual assault; sexual minority.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology
  • Alcohol Drinking in College / psychology
  • Female
  • Gender Identity
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sex Offenses / psychology
  • Sex Offenses / statistics & numerical data
  • Sexual Behavior / psychology
  • Sexual Behavior / statistics & numerical data
  • Students* / psychology
  • Students* / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Universities / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult