The relationship between suicide risk and sexual orientation: results of a population-based study.
G Remafedi,
S French,
M Story,
M D Resnick and
R Blum
Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationship between sexualorientation and suicide risk in a population-based sample ofadolescents. METHODS: Participants were selected from a cross-sectional,statewide survey of junior and senior public high school students.All males (n = 212) and females (n = 182) who described themselvesas bisexual/homosexual were compared with 336 gender-matchedheterosexual respondents on three outcome measures: suicidalideation, intent, and self-reported attempts. Logistic regressionanalyses were used to examine the association between sexualorientation and outcome measures with adjustment for demographiccharacteristics. RESULTS: Suicide attempts were reported by28. 1 % of bisexual/homosexual males, 20.5% of bisexual/homosexualfemales, 14.5% of heterosexual females, and 4.2% of heterosexualmales. For males, but not females, bisexual/homosexual orientationwas associated with suicidal intent (odds ratio [OR] = 3.6195% confidence interval [CI = 1.40, 9.36) and attempts (OR=7.10;95% CI=3.05, 16.53). CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence of a strongassociation between suicide risk and bisexuality or homosexualityin males.
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