Sexual Health Vulnerabilities Among LGBTQ+ Populations

Sexual health among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexually or gender-diverse (LGBTQ+) populations is shaped by individual behaviour, relationships, prevention knowledge, perceived risk, and structural access to care. This article presents an evidence-informed framework for examining correlations among substance use, sexual-health knowledge, perceptions, and vulnerability. Substance use may coincide with changes in inhibition, memory, consent, partner communication, and adherence to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, but identity itself does not cause risk. Minority stress, discrimination, violence, economic insecurity, and exclusion from affirming services can influence both substance use and opportunities for protection. A rigorous correlational study should measure event-level substance use, prevention knowledge, perceived susceptibility and benefits, self-efficacy, stigma, service access, and specific sexual-health outcomes. Multivariable analysis can identify associations, potential mediators, and subgroup differences, although cross-sectional data cannot establish causality. Findings should guide layered interventions that combine accurate education with condoms and lubricant, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U), sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, vaccination, sterile equipment, overdose prevention, and affirming care. Ethical research requires community partnership, confidentiality, inclusive sampling, and interpretation that avoids stigmatizing LGBTQ+ people.

Keywords: LGBTQ+ populations, sexual health, substance use, knowledge, perceptions, correlational research, harm reduction

LGBTQ+ populations sexual health substance use knowledge perceptions correlational research harm reduction