Abstract
Stigma can have a debilitating effect on mental health. Both LGBTQ+ individuals and substance users experience stigma, and concurrent membership of both groups can result in double stigma. This study aimed to investigate differences in stigmatized attitudes based on substance use behaviors and sexual identity using data from 102 participants (83% female). Findings suggest the presence of a hierarchy of stigma where heterosexual individuals were typically viewed more positively than LGBTQ+ individuals, regardless of the substance using status of the LGBTQ+ individual. However illicit drug use by heterosexual individuals resulted in the most negative attitudes. Implications are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-12 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 7 Mar 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Jan 2023 |
Keywords
- LGTB
- mental health
- stigma
- substance use
- LGBTQ
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gender Studies
- Sociology and Political Science
Documents and Links
- Agnew, E.R. et al (2020) Variations in stigma by sexual orientation and substance use: An investigation of double stigma
2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited