Sexual Orientation and Alcohol Use Disorders
Course Description:
This course is based upon course material developed and deployed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The course material was specifically developed for the training of clinicians who work with clients who may use or abuse alcohol. The course material can be found on the NIAAAs website at the following link:
According to the course materials, this course is designed to increase clinicans understanding of, and responsiveness to, the unique characteristics and concerns of LGBT individuals in relation to alcohol use, prevention, and treatment. Researchers disagree as to the exact number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals living in the United States and other countries (Berger and Kelly, 1995). Furthermore, considerable disagreement persists about the prevalence, causes, and consequences of alcohol use and abuse among LGBT persons. Based on early and methodologically unsound studies, reports of alarmingly high rates of alcohol and other drug use within the LGBT population were published. More recent investigations have revealed lower rates of heavy drinking and fewer differences in patterns of use between LGBT and heterosexual groups.
Whether they drink more, the same, or less than heterosexuals, LGBT persons are subject to many of the same risks and consequences of use. In addition, they also encounter population-specific risks. When addressing alcohol use/abuse prevention and treatment issues, LGBT individuals deserve the same compassionate, informed responses as those given to other populations or groups..
This course on alcohol use in the LGBT community is practical for social workers, addiction professionals, professional counselors, and chemical dependency counselors who practice and need continuing education. This course is appropriate for beginning level practitioners who work with LGBT clients, especially in substance abuse treatment. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical course credits and are interested in learning more about a specific population and alcohol use disorders.
Authors: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding the alcohol use in the LGBT community. Specifically, a professional will:
• Identify culturally appropriate definitions of the terms lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered, used to identify members of the LGBT community
• Identify major limitations to current, empirical knowledge about alcohol use and problems within this population
• Describe the prevalence and etiology of alcohol use within LGBT population barriers to treatment of alcohol problems as well as ways that those barriers may be addressed
Citation: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Module 10G Sexual Orientation and Alcohol Use Disorder. Retrieved from
This course content is based on a publication that has been peer-reviewed, the scientific standard for evaluating academic work. All studies and scientifically derived evidence have limitations that should be considered. If you have any questions about the accuracy or limitations of the content, please contact us at
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