Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women

Background: Little empirical data have been published about drinking or sexual behaviors among Thai lesbians. We examine the association of sexual identity with established indicators of alcohol- and sexual-related health behaviors among female bar patrons. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional st...

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Main Authors: Shivani A. Patel, Sirirojn Bangorn, Apinun Aramrattana, Rupali Limaye, David D. Celentano, Jennifer Lee, Susan G. Sherman
Format: Journal
Published: 2018
Online Access:https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84870942974&origin=inward
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/48288
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Institution: Chiang Mai University
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spelling th-cmuir.6653943832-482882018-04-25T08:50:06Z Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women Shivani A. Patel Sirirojn Bangorn Apinun Aramrattana Rupali Limaye David D. Celentano Jennifer Lee Susan G. Sherman Background: Little empirical data have been published about drinking or sexual behaviors among Thai lesbians. We examine the association of sexual identity with established indicators of alcohol- and sexual-related health behaviors among female bar patrons. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among women (N= 121) aged 18-24 who frequented popular drinking establishments in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We used general linear modeling techniques to estimate associations between sexual identity and positive alcohol expectancy, harmful drinking, age at sexual debut, and number of lifetime sexual partners. Results: Nearly one-third of women aged 18-24 recruited from Chiang Mai drinking venues identified as lesbian/bisexual. As compared to their heterosexual counterparts, lesbian/bisexuals reported higher positive alcohol expectancy scores, more harmful drinking, earlier age at sexual debut, and higher number of lifetime sexual partners. In adjusted models, lesbian/bisexual identity was associated with higher positive alcohol expectancy (β= 1.94 points; 95% CI: 0.75, 3.13), earlier age at sexual debut (β= -0.85 years; 95% CI: -1.46, -0.23), and higher number of lifetime sexual partners (rate ratio = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.37). Conclusion: Lesbian/bisexual women in this study engaged in multiple behaviors that are potentially harmful to health, which may in turn place this group at heightened risk for alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted infections in Thailand. The clustering of alcohol- and sexual-related risk behaviors, and its consequences for health outcomes in this population, should be explored in future research and may be an important point of intervention. © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. 2018-04-25T08:50:06Z 2018-04-25T08:50:06Z 2013-01-01 Journal 18790046 03768716 2-s2.0-84870942974 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.06.010 https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84870942974&origin=inward http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/48288
institution Chiang Mai University
building Chiang Mai University Library
country Thailand
collection CMU Intellectual Repository
description Background: Little empirical data have been published about drinking or sexual behaviors among Thai lesbians. We examine the association of sexual identity with established indicators of alcohol- and sexual-related health behaviors among female bar patrons. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among women (N= 121) aged 18-24 who frequented popular drinking establishments in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We used general linear modeling techniques to estimate associations between sexual identity and positive alcohol expectancy, harmful drinking, age at sexual debut, and number of lifetime sexual partners. Results: Nearly one-third of women aged 18-24 recruited from Chiang Mai drinking venues identified as lesbian/bisexual. As compared to their heterosexual counterparts, lesbian/bisexuals reported higher positive alcohol expectancy scores, more harmful drinking, earlier age at sexual debut, and higher number of lifetime sexual partners. In adjusted models, lesbian/bisexual identity was associated with higher positive alcohol expectancy (β= 1.94 points; 95% CI: 0.75, 3.13), earlier age at sexual debut (β= -0.85 years; 95% CI: -1.46, -0.23), and higher number of lifetime sexual partners (rate ratio = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.37). Conclusion: Lesbian/bisexual women in this study engaged in multiple behaviors that are potentially harmful to health, which may in turn place this group at heightened risk for alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted infections in Thailand. The clustering of alcohol- and sexual-related risk behaviors, and its consequences for health outcomes in this population, should be explored in future research and may be an important point of intervention. © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
format Journal
author Shivani A. Patel
Sirirojn Bangorn
Apinun Aramrattana
Rupali Limaye
David D. Celentano
Jennifer Lee
Susan G. Sherman
spellingShingle Shivani A. Patel
Sirirojn Bangorn
Apinun Aramrattana
Rupali Limaye
David D. Celentano
Jennifer Lee
Susan G. Sherman
Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women
author_facet Shivani A. Patel
Sirirojn Bangorn
Apinun Aramrattana
Rupali Limaye
David D. Celentano
Jennifer Lee
Susan G. Sherman
author_sort Shivani A. Patel
title Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women
title_short Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women
title_full Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women
title_fullStr Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women
title_full_unstemmed Elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young Thai lesbian/bisexual women
title_sort elevated alcohol and sexual risk behaviors among young thai lesbian/bisexual women
publishDate 2018
url https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=84870942974&origin=inward
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/48288
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