How local laws and community attitudes affect alcohol use among LGBTQ+ young adults
Official title: The Role of Local Structural Stigma in Alcohol Related Inequities among SGM Young Adults
Funded at Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation · NIH-11094915 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether local policies, everyday treatment, and personal feelings of stigma are linked to drinking and alcohol problems among LGBTQ+ young adults in midsized California cities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Beltsville, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $684,631 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA031637-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11094915 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are LGBTQ+ young adults (about 18–29 years old) who live in one of the selected midsized California cities and can complete daily surveys.
✕Less likely to help
People under 18 or over 29, those living outside the 33 California cities, or those who are not part of sexual minority groups are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be asked to complete brief surveys each day for two weeks about your mood, experiences with others, and any drinking. The research team will gather information about local LGBTQ+ policies and resources in 33 midsized California cities and link those city-level measures to participants' daily reports. By combining community-level data with day-to-day experiences, the study aims to show how local stigma, interpersonal mistreatment, and internal feelings relate to alcohol use. Results could point to community and policy changes that better support healthier alcohol use for LGBTQ+ young adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify local policies and supports that reduce harmful drinking and related problems among LGBTQ+ young adults.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows social stress and interpersonal bias relate to higher drinking in sexual minority groups, but linking local policies, daily experiences, and drinking together at the city level is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation
Beltsville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lipperman-Kreda, Sharon — Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation
- Study coordinator: Lipperman-Kreda, Sharon
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.