| dc.description.abstract | Importance: Although prior research has documented higher rates of incarceration among sexual minorities, little research has examined the intersections of the justice-involved and sexual minority populations. Research is needed to better understand the health needs of justice-involved sexual minorities to make informed policy and public health measures.
Objective: To examine the prevalence of mental illness, substance use, and access to treatment among sexual minorities who have been involved with the criminal justice system.
Design, Setting, Participants: This retrospective analysis used data from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. We conducted multivariable logistic regression to assess the relationship between sexual minority status and criminal justice involvement with mental illness, substance use disorder (SUD), and access to treatment among US adults.
Main outcome and measures: Substance use (alcohol, inhalant, hallucinogen, sedative, pain relievers, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and tranquilizer misuse), severity of mental illness, suicidality, mental health treatment (inpatient, outpatient, prescription), and SUD treatment for individuals based on sexual minority status and criminal justice involvement.
Results: Approximately 10% of justice-involved individuals identified as sexual minorities. Among justice-involved individuals, sexual minorities were more likely to have a serious mental illness, suicidal ideation, depressive thoughts, and to use the following substances: inhalants, hallucinogens, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Justice-involved sexual minorities were also more likely to have access to mental health and SUD treatment than their heterosexual justice-involved peers. The increased probability of receiving treatment for mental illness and substance use was also observed when comparing heterosexual and sexual minorities who were not involved with the criminal justice system.
Conclusions and relevance: This study provides new population-based research to a limited body of evidence on the health disparities and mental health needs of justice-involved sexual minority populations who may face additional stressors and discrimination. More research and programmatic interventions are needed to better support justice-involved sexual minorities in order to achieve mental health equity for this vulnerable population. | en_US |
