Sexual identity differences in biomarkers of tobacco exposure among women in a national sample

•Sexual minority compared to heterosexual women had higher levels of nicotine exposure.•Sexual minority compared to heterosexual women had higher levels of TSNAs.•Sexual identity differences varied by tobacco subgroup examined. Sexual minority women are consistently at increased risk for tobacco use compared to heterosexual women. Neither biomarkers of nicotine exposure nor biomarkers of tobacco toxicant exposure have been examined by sexual identity. This study used interview and biomarker data from women in the biomarker core sample of Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study (2013–2014; n = 4930). We examined associations of sexual identity with nicotine exposure (measured with urinary cotinine and TNE-2) and with tobacco-specific nitrosamines (measured with urinary NNAL). Multivariable regression modeling was used to examine these associations among the full biomarker core sample, among past 30-day tobacco users, and among exclusive established cigarette users before and after controlling for tobacco use quantity and intensity. In the full biomarker sample of women, prior to adjusting for tobacco use quantity and intensity, bisexual women had significantly higher cotinine, TNE-2, and NNAL levels compared to heterosexual women. Among exclusive established cigarette users, gay/lesbian women had significantly higher NNAL compared to heterosexual women prior to adjusting for tobacco quantity and intensity. No differences by sexual identity were found after adjusting for tobacco use quantity and intensity. This is the first study to demonstrate differences in biological markers of tobacco exposure by sexual identity among women in the U.S. This has important public health implications as greater exposure to both nicotine and to tobacco-specific nitrosamines are strongly linked to cancer risk.