# Understanding Substance Use Risk among Sexual Minority Women

> **NIH NIH K01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $682

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Sexual minority women (SMW; lesbian, bisexual, other non-heterosexual women) are at substantially
increased risk for substance use (SU) compared to heterosexual women. This is particularly evident in
emerging adulthood (ages 18-25), when SMW are at high risk for cannabis and heavy alcohol use. These
robust disparities highlight the need to understand and reduce SU among SMW. However, the limitations of
existing research hinder efforts to do so. First, research on SU among SMW has almost exclusively used
cross-sectional and semi-annual longitudinal designs. While these studies provide a foundation for
understanding SU risk among SMW, these methods are limited in the data they can provide about SU risk.
Experience sampling methods (ESM) can advance our understanding by identifying temporally proximal risk
factors for SU (e.g., factors predicting same/next-day SU) and disentangling risk factors from correlates —
resulting in clearer intervention targets for SMW. Second, SMW are treated as a homogeneous group, so we
know little about risk factors for subgroups of SMW (i.e., lesbian, bisexual, queer, pansexual). This is a critical
problem because 1) preliminary evidence suggests that one factor (sexual identity disclosure) is linked to SU
for bisexual, but not lesbian, women; 2) a subset of SMW—those with multi-gender attractions—experience
unique stressors theorized to impact SU, and 3) shared risk factors (e.g. peer influences) may differentially
impact subgroups of SMW. Despite their risk, there are no SU interventions tailored for SMW, highlighting the
need to determine how to adapt SU interventions to address their unique risk factors. The goals of the
proposed study are to: 1) identify risk factors for problematic cannabis and alcohol use among emerging adult
SMW; 2) delineate common and unique risk factors for subgroups of SMW; and 3) determine how to adapt a
SU intervention for SMW. These goals will be met using a mixed methods approach. Phase 1 will consist of a
30-day ESM study of self-identified lesbian, bisexual, queer, and pansexual emerging adult women (60 per
identity) and will focus on identifying within- and between-person risk factors for SU and delineating common
and unique risk factors for subgroups of SMW. In Phase 2, we will conduct qualitative interviews with 60 Phase
1 participants. Interviews will focus on perceived risk factors for SU, SMW’s interpretations of ESM findings,
and ways to adapt a SU intervention for SMW. This award will provide the applicant with training in SU
research, ESM, qualitative/mixed-methods, and intervention development at Northwestern University’s Institute
for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing – a rich intellectual environment with abundant
resources ideal for training scholars in sexual minority health research. The training and research activities
funded by this K01 will facilitate the applicant’s transition to an independent investigator with a program of
translatio...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10180931
- **Project number:** 5K01DA046716-03
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** CHRISTINA DYAR
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $682
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2021-08-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10180931

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10180931, Understanding Substance Use Risk among Sexual Minority Women (5K01DA046716-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10180931. Licensed CC0.

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