Citation

Surace A, Riordan BC, Winter T. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2019; 38(5): 519-522.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/dar.12940

PMID

31131504

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Research has shown that sexual minorities (SMs) throughout the world display more alcohol use related problems than non-SMs. To date, however, this research has not been replicated in New Zealand. The aim of the current study is to determine whether SMs in New Zealand drink more hazardously than non-SMs. DESIGN AND METHODS: Secondary data analyses were performed using data from the 2015/16 and 2016/17 New Zealand Health Survey.

RESULTS: Using a Bayesian logistic regression model we tested whether SM status predicted hazardous alcohol consumption. We found that SMs were 2.2 times (95% HDI [1.7-2.7]) more likely to drink hazardously than non-SMs, but this effect was largely driven by sexual minority women (SMW).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: New Zealand SMs engaged in more hazardous drinking than non-SMs, an effect driven by SMW. A potential reason for these findings could be that, despite New Zealand's relative acceptance of SMs, structural/social discrimination may persist and have a disproportionate effect on women. More research is needed to determine what factors, such as stigma/discrimination, impact SMs' alcohol use in New Zealand.

© 2019 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Language: en

Keywords

New Zealand; alcohol use; minority stress; sexual minority