Drinking behaviors and sexual health among women with ADHD across ethnicity: a pilot study of female college students

Although Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) predicts higher likelihood of adverse life experiences, there is very little research exploring the impact of ADHD in girls and women of color. Due to their unique experiences/environments in conjunction with ADHD symptomatology, outcomes in the areas of substance use and sexual behavior are likely to differ from those of White women. Method: Using existing NCHA-II data from the CSUEB student body, three layers of analyses on drinking and sexual behaviors were conducted: differences between the ADHD group and the general population; in-group differences between women of color (WOC) with and without ADHD; differences between WOC with ADHD and White women with ADHD. Results: Statistically significant differences in amount of alcohol consumed, number of drinking incidents, number of heavy drinking incidents, and rates of HPV and Chlamydia were found in the first two analyses, but not the third. Implications: Results suggest that ADHD symptomatology may predict different outcomes in drinking behaviors across race and ethnicity, necessitating more intersectional review of symptom manifestation, outcomes, and culturally sensitive treatment.