Mental health disparities and high-risk alcohol use among non-heterosexual high school students

Purpose: To examine disparities in mental health and high-risk alcohol use among high school students by sexual orientation, and the impact of having access to an adult with whom to talk. Design and Methods: Cross-sectional survey, from the 2015 Kentucky Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Logistic regression estimated the relationship between being “non-heterosexual” on mental health (e.g, suicidal ideation/attempt) and alcohol behaviors (e.g, binge drinking), controlling for demographics and “having an adult to talk to.”. Findings: Non-heterosexual students were more likely to report all adverse outcomes and risk was lower among students who report “having an adult to talk to.”. Practice Implications: Psychiatric nurses need to assess sexual minority youth for access to positive adult relationships.