Suicide Attempt and Sexual Risk Behavior: Relationship Among Adolescents

This study examined the relationship between a history of suicide attempt & a range of current sexual risk behaviours in a sample of sexually high-risk adolescents. Baseline data from 1,245 sexually active 15-21-year-olds were collected. Accounting for demographic, contextual, & substance use variables, a lifetime history of suicide attempt significantly added to multivariate regression models predicting sexual risk. Inconsistent condom users were almost twice as likely to have attempted suicide, & adolescents with a sexually transmitted infection were approximately twice as likely to have a history of suicide attempt. A history of suicidal behaviour appears to be an important marker for sexual risk. (21 refs.)