Persisting inequalities in past-year drug use by sexual identity: trends across England's 2007, 2014 and 2024 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys

Past-year drug use in England remains markedly higher for sexual minority adults than heterosexual adults in 2024, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.2 (1.4–3.4) among 16–64-year-olds.

• Why it matters: Sexual minority people face discrimination and minority stress, yet UK evidence on how sexual identity inequalities in drug use have changed over time is dated and unclear.
• What they did: Using repeated cross-sectional Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys from 2007 (N=7403), 2014 (N=7546), and 2024 (N=6912), the study estimated weighted past-year drug use by sexual identity, adjusting logistic regression for age, sex, and area deprivation.
• The result: Among 16–64-year-olds, prevalence stayed at least double heterosexual levels (2007=22.9% vs 10.3%; 2014=27.5% vs 9.9%; 2024=24.9% vs 11.6%), implying persistent inequalities across 17 years.

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