Sexual Orientation and Risk of Suicide Attempts Among a Representative Sample of Youth

This study examined whether sexual orientation is an independent risk factor for reported suicide attempts. Data were from the Massachusetts 1995 Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey. 3,365 of 4,167 high school students responded to both the suicide attempt & sexual orientation questions. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or not-sure youth were 3.41 times more likely to report a suicide attempt. Sexual orientation has an independent association with suicide attempts for males, while for females the association of sexual orientation with suicidality may be mediated by drug use & violence/victimization behaviours. (34 refs.)