Looking beyond sexualized drug use: exploring the relationship between substance use and subjective well-being among LGBTQ+ people in the UK

Hope, VD ORCID: 0000-0001-5712-5734, Madden, H ORCID: 0000-0002-3493-9337, Hay, G ORCID: 0000-0002-8346-9618 and Hearne, E ORCID: 0000-0002-5308-5736 (2026) Looking beyond sexualized drug use: exploring the relationship between substance use and subjective well-being among LGBTQ+ people in the UK. Journal of Substance Use. ISSN 1465-9891

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Abstract

Background
LGBTQ+ community experience higher levels of substance use and poorer well-being than the general population.

Methods
Variations in well-being by form of substance use (adjusting for confounders) were examined using data from a national UK survey of LGBTQ+ adults. Participants were asked about past year substance use to alter appearance [ADU], have sex better [SDU], help work or study [WSDU], for the feelings or experience caused [FEDU], nicotine use, alcohol (AUDIT-C) use, and well-being (ONS-5).

Results
Participants mean age was 33.5 years, 47% identified as bisexual (n = 561, 88% cis-gendered): 30% reported FEDU, 8.6% SDU, 7.1% WSDU, 3.0% ADU, 33% nicotine use (16% smoked, 26% vaped), and 79% alcohol use. FEDU was associated with anxiety (p = 0.028), ADU with anxiety (p = 0.015) and poorer subjective health (p = 0.031), and SDU with feeling life was more worthwhile (p = 0.011). WSDU was not associated with the well-being measures. Risky alcohol use was associated with anxiety (p = 0.042), and nicotine use with feeling less worthwhile (p = 0.046), less happy (p = 0.002), anxiety (p = 0.011), and poorer subjective health (p = 0.018).

Conclusions
Responses to substance use in LGBTQ+ community should be situated in better understanding and addressing the more common forms of substance use and anxiety.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1110 Nursing; 1117 Public Health and Health Services; 1701 Psychology; Substance Abuse; 4206 Public health; 5203 Clinical and health psychology
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Divisions:	Public and Allied Health
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Date of acceptance:	16 March 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	7 April 2026
Date Deposited:	07 Apr 2026 15:05
Last Modified:	07 Apr 2026 15:05
DOI or ID number:	10.1080/14659891.2026.2653530
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28344

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