Correlates of hazardous alcohol drinking among trans and non-binary people in Canada: A community-based cross-sectional study

Purpose: Transgender and non-binary people (TGNB) have a higher rate of heavy episodic drinking than cisgender people; however, extant knowledge about predictors of hazardous alcohol drinking (HAD) among different TGNB groups is limited. This study examined predictors of HAD in a national sample of TGNB people in Canada.

Methods: Logistic regression models were fit to examine the effects of 1) minority stressors and 2) stress-buffering factors on the likelihood of HAD, stratified by gender, among 2324 TGNB individuals from the Trans PULSE Canada survey, a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2019 among trans and non-binary people aged 14+ in Canada.

Results: Almost 17% of participants reported past-year HAD. Lifetime day-to-day and lifetime major discrimination were associated with higher odds of HAD in the full sample [(AOR=1.37, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.44) and (AOR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.55, 1.86) respectively], and across all gender groups. Social support was associated with lower odds of HAD in trans men, non-binary people assigned female at birth (NB-AFAB), and non-binary people assigned male at birth (NB-AMAB) groups, but with higher odds of HAD in the trans women group. Misgendering was associated with lower odds of HAD in trans men and NB-AFAB, but higher odds of HAD in trans women and NB-AMAB. Mixed effects of gender distress, gender positivity, and gender-affirming medical care were also reported across groups.

Conclusion: The study provided a more detailed understanding of the predictors of HAD across four TGNB groups. Public health interventions should focus on structural discrimination and social support for TGNB people.

Cite this article: Tran, G.M., Lachowsky, N., Urbanoski, K.A., Scheim, A.I., Bauer, G. (2023). Correlates of hazardous alcohol drinking among trans and non-binary people in Canada: A community-based cross-sectional study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110872