Mental Health and Substance Use Disparities by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Among Delaware Youth

Abstract Objective: To investigate mental health and substance use disparities by sexual orientation and gender identity among Delaware youth. Methods: Data were from the Delaware School Surveys (DSS) administered to 8th and 11th graders (n=17,361; ages 12-17 years old) in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Frequency statistics were used to summarize sexual orientation and gender identity composition, including frequency of youth who were lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other minoritized sexual and gender identities (LGBT+). Using logistic regression, we tested associations