Indicators of Community Connectedness: How One's Connection with the LGBT Community Influences Level of Drinking Behaviors Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adults in the Generations Study.

Research shows that sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals report disproportionate rates of hazardous drinking compared to heterosexual individuals. Studies have documented various reasons for these rates. These include minority stressors and one's connection to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. The present study uses longitudinal data collected by Generations: A Study of the Life and Health of LGB People in a Changing Society, United States, 2016-2019. We conducted a multinomial logistic regression analysis. This analysis measured how various indicators of community connectedness, minority stressors, and perceived social support influence drinking behaviors among non-transgender SGM individuals. We found that non-transgender SGM individuals who had a stronger bond with the LGBT community were less likely to engage in hazardous drinking than to abstain. However, respondents who only reported feeling a part of the community were more likely to report hazardous drinking. Further, we found that Hispanic and older respondents were less likely to report hazardous drinking, while respondents who had more than a bachelor's degree were more likely to report hazardous drinking. We noted variations in reporting hazardous drinking versus abstaining by the respondents' connection with the LGBT community and various demographic subgroups.