ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Most of the data addressing LGBT populations are adressing gay men's health and focuses on the heterosexual/homosexual alterity without considering their practices nor their trajectories. PURPOSE OF RESEARCH: In this article, we are looking into psychoactive substances use among lesbian and bisexual women. Based on an analysis of the Lesbian and Gay Press Survey (INVS, 2011), this paper aims to analyze the substance use of these populations, while discussing the categories used to describe them. RESULTS: Our results show that sexuality with male partners is associated with increased levels of consumption of illegal psychoactive products. However, this is not true for prescripted drugs. With regard to alcohol, consumption levels follow a gradient corresponding to the number of partners, regardless of their sex. However, sexual identification is not a relevant indicator for interpreting substance use, whatever the product consumed which suggest bisexuality is not associated, per se, with increased levels of substance abuse. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the links commonly made between sexual orientation and increased consumption of psychoactive products should be discussed. Not only are consumption levels different for different products, but they also depend on gender and sexuality indicators. Because of the weight of heterosexist structures, sexuality with men is an important determinant of psychoactive product use among sexual minorities. Particularly with regard to bisexual women, this leads to discuss the link between a double discrimination, from their male and female partners, and their level of consumption of psychoactive products.
Subject(s)
Homosexuality, Female , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Substance-Related Disorders , Female , Male , Humans , Heterosexuality , Sexual Behavior , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiologyABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Discrimination and structural violence experienced by sexual and gender minorities are the source of social inequalities in health. The last decade has been marked by major developments in the provision of sexual health services for these minorities in France. This paper presents the research protocol of the Services for Minorities-Lesbian Gays Bisexuals Transgender Intersex+ (SeSAM-LGBTI+) study, which aims to document the health, social and professional challenges in the organisation of current health services for sexual and gender minorities in France. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The SeSAM-LGBTI+ study relies on a multidisciplinary qualitative study. It has two objectives: (1) to analyse the history of the development of LGBTI+ health services in France, through interviews with key informants and rights activists and through a study of archives and (2) to study the functioning and challenges of a sample of health services currently offered to LGBTI+ people in France, through a multiple case study, using a multilevel and multisited ethnography. The study will rely on approximately 100 interviews. The analysis will be based on an inductive and iterative approach, combining sociohistorical data and the cross-sectional analysis of the case studies. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol has undergone a peer review by the Institut de Recherche En santé Publique's scientific committee and has been approved by the research ethical committee of Aix-Marseille University (registration number: 2022-05-12-010). The project has received funding from December 2021 to November 2024. The results of the research will be disseminated from 2023 onwards to researchers, health professionals and community health organisations.
