Mediation by Peer Violence Victimization of Sexual Orientation Disparities in Cancer-Related Tobacco, Alcohol, and Sexual Risk Behaviors: Pooled Youth Risk Behavior Surveys

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 104; no. 6; pp. 1113 - 1123
• Main Authors: ROSARIO, Margaret, CORLISS, Heather L, EVERETT, Bethany G, RUSSELL, Stephen T, BUCHTING, Francisco O, BIRKETT, Michelle A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Public Health Association 01.06.2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol use; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Boys; Cancer; Child; Child And Adolescent Health; Child development; Children & youth; Coping; Crime Victims - statistics & numerical data; Drug use; Ethnicity; Female; Gays & lesbians; Gender; General aspects; Health behavior; Health disparities; Health Status Disparities; Hepatitis; Heterosexuality; HIV; Homosexuality, Male - statistics & numerical data; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human papillomavirus; Humans; Jurisdiction; Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Persons; Male; Medical sciences; Minority & ethnic groups; Miscellaneous; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - etiology; Pacific Islander people; Peer Group; Peers; Prevention and actions; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Race/Ethnicity; Research and Practice; Risk-Taking; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Health; Sexual orientation; Sexually transmitted diseases; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - epidemiology; STD; Stigma; Substance Use; Teenagers; Tobacco; Tumors; United States - epidemiology; Unsafe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Victimization; Victims of crime; Violence; Violence - statistics & numerical data; United States; Human; Homosexuality; Ethanol; Violence; Sexual behavior; Alcohol; Risk; Risk taking; Malignant tumor; Mediation; Survey; Tobacco; Surveillance; Adolescent; Risk factor; Sexuality; Pool; Disparity; Public health; Cancer
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301764

We examined the role of adolescent peer violence victimization (PVV) in sexual orientation disparities in cancer-related tobacco, alcohol, and sexual risk behaviors. We pooled data from the 2005 and 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. We classified youths with any same-sex sexual attraction, partners, or identity as sexual minority and the remainder as heterosexual. We had 4 indicators of tobacco and alcohol use and 4 of sexual risk and 2 PVV factors: victimization at school and carrying weapons. We stratified associations by gender and race/ethnicity. PVV was related to disparities in cancer-related risk behaviors of substance use and sexual risk, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03, 1.6) to 11.3 (95% CI = 6.2, 20.8), and to being a sexual minority, with ORs of 1.4 (95% CI = 1.1, 1.9) to 5.6 (95% CI = 3.5, 8.9). PVV mediated sexual orientation disparities in substance use and sexual risk behaviors. Findings were pronounced for adolescent girls and Asian/Pacific Islanders. Interventions are needed to reduce PVV in schools as a way to reduce sexual orientation disparities in cancer risk across the life span.