OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has lead to an increase in substance abuse in underprivileged populations as a coping mechanism. Elucidating the disparities faced by this group can better prepare future programs in supporting LGBTQIA+ youth in periods of hardship, determine risk factors that increase substance use in this group, and incorporate changes in medical and school programs to prevent these events from recurring.

METHODS: We used a systematic literature search on Pubmed to filter literature that was published since December 2019 and used Boolean search operators to create a variation of 56 search terms that was used as queries. The subsequent articles were collected and their abstracts were evaluated and relevant articles were subjected to complete paper data collection and analysis, where we collected information such as race/ethnicity, sexuality, age range, and health disparities for homelessness in each study.

RESULTS: We found 67 unique papers on Pubmed, and 11 unique papers that fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five papers were cross-sectional, four were longitudinal, one was a cohort study, and one was an expert opinion piece. SGM that were Black and Latinx saw an increase in solitary substance use associated with concurrent increases in anxiety and depression. Multiple articles mention the use of substance use, along with social media and interacting with social circles, as a method of coping during COVID-19 quarantine, isolation, loss of job, and other desolating effects of the pandemic on society. Interestingly, one study found a decrease in drug use prevalence among SGM and trans men, but an increase in frequency among those who continue to use drugs.

CONCLUSIONS: LGBTQIA+ youths were disproportionately affected by the pandemic in an increase in substance use in available literature. Additional research is also needed to characterize how this population was affected in terms of homelessness, financial need, and food insecurity.