A major new study into women’s use of alcohol, seen exclusively by BuzzFeed News, challenges the prevailing wisdom.
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Indeed, a federally funded study in the US theorised that "sexual-minority women's heightened risk of hazardous drinking and psychological distress" might be related to childhood trauma, or the stress caused by coming out.
But now a new study in the UK, seen exclusively by BuzzFeed News, appears to reveal that although a greater proportion of lesbian and bisexual women have a "hazardous" relationship with alcohol than straight women, they are no more likely to be dependent on it.
The findings come from a five-year study carried out by PACE, Britain's leading LGBT mental health organisation, involving approximately 2,000 women. It is believed to be the largest survey of its kind.
The researchers found that 31.9% of heterosexual women engage in problematic drinking, compared to 37.1% of lesbians and bisexual women. But levels of alcohol addiction are almost identical: 4% for straight women and 4.5% for LGB women, which is within the margin of error.
PACE
PACE