Substance use in latinx sexual and gender minorities: A scoping review

Introduction Substance use is a major public health concern among sexual and gender minorities (SGM), with Latinx SGM facing compounded risks. This review examines prevalence, contextual factors, and management strategies.Method Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we comprehensively searched five databases using key terms related to “substance use”, “lgbtq”, “Hispanic/Latinx” (see Table 1 for full strategy).Results Studies showed higher substance use rates for alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and stimulants among Latinx SGM versus cisgender/heterosexual peers. Contextual factors include minority stress, internalized homonegativity, and cultural factors. Findings on management were scarce but highlighted family-based interventions and harm reduction strategies within social networks.Conclusion Findings support culturally responsive interventions to address systemic barriers. Research gaps remain for Latinx non-gender conforming and sexual minority women, especially outside the U.S.