Substance use among LGBTQI+ young people aged 14-30: Findings from the Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland Study

Downes, Carmel, Paul, Aviejay, James, Philip, Coughlan, Barry and Higgins, Agnes (2026) Substance use among LGBTQI+ young people aged 14-30: Findings from the Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland Study. Project Report. Department of Health & Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

Preview

PDF Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Introduction and research questions: National drug and alcohol policy has increasingly recognised the LGBTQI+ community as an at-risk group, requiring targeted prevention and early intervention responses to address their specific needs. This report, which was funded by the Department of Health in support of the National Drug Strategy, draws on data from Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland, a national study of the well-being and mental health of LGBTQI+ people in Ireland, to address the following research questions:

Q1: What proportion of sexual and gender minority young people (14-30 years) use drugs?
Q2: What types of drugs are most prevalent amongst sexual and gender minority young people (14-30 years)?
Q3: What are the reasons sexual and gender minority young people (14-30 years) give for using drugs, including location of use?
Q4: What proportion of sexual and gender minority young people (14-30 years) use alcohol?
Q5: What is the association between socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and area living) and drug and alcohol use amongst sexual and gender minority young people (14-30 years)?
Q6: What is the association between life experiences (e.g., experiencing/ witnessing bullying in school, experiencing/ witnessing online hate speech, parental support) and drug and alcohol use amongst sexual and gender minority young people (14-30 years)?
Q7: What is the association between drug and alcohol use and other mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, stress, suicidal distress (suicidal thoughts, suicidal behaviour), non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH), happiness, self-esteem and resilience?

Data collection: An online survey collected demographic information; life experiences; well-being and mental health status; and drug and alcohol use. Data were collected via a series of closed-ended questions, including the use of validated tools, namely the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST10).

Findings: This report presents findings from 1,591 LGBTQI+ young people aged 14-30. The mean age of the sample was 21 years (N=1591, SD=5.03). Just over two-fifths identified as Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) (42.5%) and nearly two-fifths as cis women (38.1%). A high level of mental health difficulties were evident, with high rates of non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH) (65.8%) and suicidal thoughts (72.3%), and high levels of symptoms of severe/extremely severe depression (37.4%), anxiety (49.2%) and stress (30.6%).

Study implications: The findings from our study, alongside the wider literature, indicate that individuals from the LGBTQI+ community may be at higher risk of substance use problems, and that these difficulties often co-occur with mental health and other difficulties. Consequently, it is imperative that LGBTQI+ young people are regarded as a key group when developing and implementing actions in relation to minority groups as part of the new National Drugs Strategy 2026-2029.

Recommendations: Recommendations to support harm reduction responses to drug and alcohol use among LGBTQ+ youth include the following:

- Drug and alcohol treatment services should adopt an LGBTQI+ affirmative service model and embed LGBTQI+ inclusion within policies, clinical standards and pathways to care, and reduce barriers to access, particularly for underserved groups.
- The findings reaffirm the need for ring-fenced multiannual investment in community-based LGBTQI+ inclusive supports for young people experiencing problematic drug and alcohol use. LGBTQI+ people with lived experience should have a key role in shaping these services.
- Interventions developed to support young people experiencing problematic drug and alcohol use should be evaluated to determine their appropriateness for sexual and gender minority (S&GM) populations and their efficacy in reducing substance use and associated harms.
- Fund regional LGBTQI+ initiatives, including community groups, to provide access to alcohol and drug free spaces and facilities for LGBTQI+ young people.
- In line with the aims of The National Sexual Health Strategy 2025-2035, scope public health responses to reduce the sexual health and drug related harms associated with chemsex.
- Conduct a national mapping exercise of substance use prevention and intervention programmes delivered through LGBTQI+ youth organisations. Use findings to strengthen existing programmes and develop evidence-based, LGBTQI affirmative initiatives that are co-designed with LGBTQI+ young people and other relevant experts.

Research recommendations to address knowledge gaps include the following:
- There is a need to pursue further research on youth mental health and alcohol and drug use to facilitate comparisons between minority groups, including gender and sexual minorities, and the general population. This type of knowledge is critical to support equitable allocation of services.
- There is also a need for further research into chemsex to facilitate comparisons between S&GM young people and their non-S&GM peers.
- Although various socio-demographic factors were included in the analysis, there is a need for further research that explores intersectional effects (i.e., how different intersecting identities may influence alcohol and drug use, such as, gender identity, minority sexual orientations, ethnicity, education, family/housing context etc.).
- Existing health surveys and future research on mental health and drug and alcohol use should capture gender identity and sexual orientation data as well as have targeted recruitment strategies for including minority groups within studies, including sexual and gender minorities.
- Fund a repeat survey of Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland in 2030.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman > Children H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare > Discrimination H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman > Sexual life > Sexual minorities R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry > Neurology. Diseases of the Nervous System. > Psychiatry > Psychopathology > Personality Disorders. Behaviour Problems. > Substance abuse
Divisions:	School of Business and Social Sciences > Staff Research and Publications
Depositing User:	Tamara Malone
Date Deposited:	28 Oct 2026 09:59
Last Modified:	28 Oct 2026 09:59
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9946

Actions (login required)

View Item