Search The WebThis Site for Get a Search Engine For Your Web Site Search This Site Via Google: This free script provided by JavaScript Kit
GB Male Suicidality at a Glance! Results of 30 studies in four tables.  "Attempted Suicide" Results For Homosexually Oriented Males & Females: More Than 100 Studies!

Youth Risk Behavior Surveys

Surveys Soliciting "homosexuality" Information: - Minnesota* 1987, 2004; Massachusetts 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005; Vermont 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005; Vermont: Franklin County 2005; Seattle 1995; Wisconsin 1997, 1999, 2001; Oregon, 1997, 1999; San Francisco, 1997; and Connecticut** 1997.  - Massachusetts/Vermont 1995/1997: Re-Evaluation Study.

*Study done using the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey Questionnaire amended to solicit "sexual orientation" information.
**Voice of Connecticut Youth Survey

Eighty-Three Thousand Youth (PDF Download): Selected Findings of Eight Population-Based Studies as they pertain to anti-gay harassment and the safety and well-being of sexual minority students. April 1999. By The Safe Schools Coalition of Washington: Reports and Publications.

British Columbia's 2008 Adolescent Health Survey (PDF Download, 6 megs): "86% of students identified as heterosexual, 7% as mostly heterosexual, 2% as bisexual, and less than 1% as either mostly homosexual or homosexual (gay or lesbian). The remaining 4% were “not sure.” ... Those at greater risk of having attempted suicide: ... Aboriginal youth (11% vs. 4% non-Aboriginal), lesbian, gay and bisexual youth (28% vs. 4% heterosexual: 7-times the risk), obese youth (10% vs. 4% healthy weight) and youth with a health condition or disability (16% vs. 4% without a disability)... physically abused (15% vs. 3%) or sexually abused (22% vs. 4%).

Benditt L, Engel E, Gavin M, Stransky E (2009). Addressing Health Disparities Affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth and Adults in Wisconsin. Workshop in Public Affairs. Prepared for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, HIV/AIDS Program, Division of Public Health. Reports suicidality results (controlling for many variables) for GLB students compared to heterosexual students in the Wisconsin 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The odds for GLB high school students having attempted suicide in the past year were 3.9-times greater than for heterosexual students. PDF Download.

Gay students more likely to consider suicide: study. Survey shows D.C. gay youth face bullying, harassment (2008). "30.6 percent of gay teens considered suicide in the previous year, 28.9 percent made a plan to commit suicide and 32.6 percent attempted suicide. That compares to 13.8 percent, 12.1 percent and 8.6 percent respectively in those same categories for their straight counterparts. DC 2007 High School YRBS: Baseline Findings for GLBQ Items (PDF Download).

Massachusetts' 2007 YRBS Results: "29.1 percent attempted suicide and 12.1 percent attempted suicide that required medical attention. That compares to 6.4 percent and 2.2 percent respectively in those same categories for their straight counterparts.

2007 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey: In the past 12 months, 26% of gay/lesbian students, 29% of bisexual students and 10% of those 'not sure' of their sexual orientation had attempted suicide, compared to 4% of heterosexual students.

2005 Chicago Youth Risk Behavior Survey: In the past 12 months, 33.3% of gay/lesbian students and 35.0% of bisexual students had made a suicide plan, compared to 9.7% of heterosexual students. 27.3% of gay/lesbian students and 33.3% of bisexual students had attempted suicide, compared to 7.5% of heterosexual students.

2003 Chicago Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Related GLB suicidality information not given. "Among CPS high school students, 6.3% described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual; 7.5% of males described themselves as gay or bisexual and 4.7% of females described themselves as lesbian or bisexual... The prevalence of describing themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual, was higher among non-Hispanic Black (7.3%) than Hispanic (5.8%) and non-Hispanic White (4.9%) CPS high school students but the difference was not statistically significant... Among CPS high school students, 2.3% reported having had sexual contact with females and males during their life; 1.6% of males and 2.9% of females indicated having had sexual contact with females and males. The prevalence of having had sexual contact with females and males during their life was similar for non-Hispanic Black (2.0%), Hispanic (2.8%) and non-Hispanic White (2.3%) CPS high school students." Suicidality information may be available given the following information in this document: "Risks and Needs of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth in Chicago Public Schools. Health and wellness. Uses the 2003 Chicago Youth Risk Behavior Survey to investigate the school experiences and differential risk factors for students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual or who have had same-sex sexual ontact.Dates active: 2005 to present. Chou, Victoria. Dean, College of Education. Phone: 312.996.5641. Email: vchou@uic.edu"

2007 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Word Download): Sexual minority students were 3.7 times more at risk for having attempted suicide in the past 12 months, compared to heterosexual students. - Risk Behaviors and Factors of Youth Engaging in Same-Sex Sexual Behaviors (PDF Download): One in four same-sex youth (7.5% het-sex youth) had a suicide attempt in the previous 12 months. More than one in seven (15%) same-sex had a suicide attempt in the previous 12 months serious enough that it required medical attention, compared to 2.5% of het-sex youth, a six-fold difference...

2005 New York City Yoouth Risk Behavior Survey: In the past 12 months, compared to heterosexual youth,  the odds of having attempted suicide were greater for Gay, Bisexual and Unsure male students:  6.2, 12.8, 6.9, respectively, or 9.0 for the combined 3 groups (3.4, with control variables). For Lesbian, Bisexual and Unsure females, the odds were 0.9, 5.3, 2.4, respectively, or 3.7 for the combined 3 groups (2.5, with control variables).

Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey, Minnesota (2004)

Minnesota Department of Education (2004). 2004 Minnesota Student Survey Statewide Tables: Fall 2004. Internet: http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/groups/healthcare/documents/pub/dhs_id_049112.pdf .

Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey, Minnesota (1987)

Research Highlights: - A 1987 sample of 36,254 grades 7 to 12 Minnesota students from whom sexual orientation and suicidality information was solicited. This was a part of the Adolescent Youth Risk Behavior Survey which was amended given that the standard (CDC-approved) questionnaire does not solicit sexual orientation information. Self-identified gay/bisexual male adolescents (about 1% of males) were deemed to be at significantly greater risk (by a 7-times factor) for a suicide attempt compared to heterosexual male adolescent. Their respective lifetime attempted suicide rates are 28.1% versus 4.2%.

Comment:  This study demonstrating that gay/bisexual male adolescents are at higher risk for suicide attempts than their heterosexual counterparts is, however, only a part of the "at risk" picture for these boys. A 1996 study of the same sample reported that "homosexual males were more likely to report a poor body image (27.8% vs. 12.0%, frequent dieting (8.9% vs. 5.5%), binge eating (25.0% vs. 10.6%), or purging behaviors (e.g., vomiting: 11.7% vs. 4.4%) compared with heterosexual males." (French SA, Story M, Remafedi G, Resnick MD, and Blum RW, 1996. Sexual orientation and prevalence of body dissatisfaction and eating disordered behaviors: a population-based study of adolescents. International Journal of Eating disorders, 19(2), 119-26. A PubMed "abstract" link with article delivery service. If link is not working, access abstract via PubMed's Medline. Place this "unique identifier number" - 97086356 - in SEARCH window.)

Saewyc EM, Bearinger LH, Heinz PA, Blum RW, Resnick MD (1998). Gender differences in health and risk behaviors among bisexual and homosexual adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 23(3), 181-8. (PubMed "abstract".)

Research Highlights.  Further analysis of the 1987 Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey sample first reported on by Remafedi et al. (1998).  Suicide attempt rates for homosexual/bisexual males and females were 28.1% and 20.5%, respectively, versus 4.2% and 14.5% for their heterosexual counterparts. The authors of this study, however, note that "nearly 1 of 3 older boys and girls reported at least one suicide attempt." No explanation is given for this but the implications would be that, by the age of 15 to 18 (for this sample ranging in age from about 12 to 18), about one-third of homosexual / bisexual adolescents have attempted suicide - the female attempted suicide rate having become insignificantly different from the male rate. Two explanations are possible. With age, the lifetime "attempted suicide" tally increases, more for females. And/or: with age, more individuals (especially females) are self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, thus increasing the tally of lifetime suicide attempters in this category - who may have been listed in the "heterosexual-identified" category if they had been studied at an earlier age. Younger students, even after having attempted suicide for reasons related to sexual orientation, may not be ready to reveal the "homosexuality" aspect of themselves to anyone (possibly because they were rejecting or denying this aspect of self to themselves)- and they would therefore also not report this aspect of self on a pencil-and-paper questionnaire.

Remafedi G, Resnick M, Blum R, Harris L (1992) Demography of sexual orientation in adolescents. Pediatrics. 89(4-2), 714-21.  (A PubMed "abstract" link with article delivery service. If link is not working, access abstract via PubMed's Medline. Place this "unique identifier number" - 92212664 - in SEARCH window.)

 
Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (2005) 

Summary Available at: - http://www.mass.gov/cgly/yrbs05.pdf .

3.7 percent of students surveyed described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

6.4 percent of all students described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual and/or reported same-sex sexual contact.

Students who described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual were significantly more likely than their peers to report attacks, suicide attempts and drug and alcohol use. When compared to peers, this group was:

        over four times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year.
        over four times more likely to miss school in the past month because of feeling unsafe.
        almost twice more likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school..

*All differences between GLB students and Others are statistically significant, p. <.05

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (2003)

 Summary Available at: - http://www.mass.gov/gcgly/yrbs03.pdf .

3.5 percent of students surveyed described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

6.0 percent of all students described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual and/or reported same-sex sexual contact.

Students who described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual were significantly more likely than their peers to report attacks, suicide attempts and drug and alcohol use. When compared to peers, this group was:

        over five times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year.
        over three times more likely to miss school in the past month because of feeling unsafe.
        over three times more likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school..

*All differences between GLB students and Others are statistically significant, p. <.05

Massachusetts' YRBS Report: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/03/results.pdf . Excerpts:

Sexual minority youth (i.e., students who either identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or had any same-sex sexual contact) were more likely than other students to be current smokers (48% vs. 19%) and daily smokers (23% vs. 6%).

Sexual minority youth were significantly more likely than other students to report current alcohol use (60% vs. 45%) and binge drinking (44% vs. 26%).

Sexual minority youth were significantly more likely than other students to report lifetime drug use (73% vs. 46%) and current drug use (49% vs. 29%).

Certain groups of students reported higher rates than their peers of violence-related behaviors. These groups included male students, students in younger grades, Black students, students of Other or Multiple Ethnicity, students in urban districts, recent immigrants, sexual minority students, and students with disabilities.

Sexual minority youth (i.e., students who either identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or reported any same-sex sexual contact) were significantly more likely than other students to have carried a weapon (24% vs. 13%), been in a physical fight (44% vs. 30%), and to have been in a gang (23% vs. 9%). They were also significantly more likely to have skipped school because they felt unsafe (15% vs. 4%), been bullied (42% vs. 21%), been threatened or injured with a weapon at school (22% vs. 5%), and to have experienced dating violence (30% vs. 9%) or sexual contact against their will (41% vs. 8%).

Students in urban districts, recent immigrants, students with disabilities, sexual minority youth, and students who have experienced violence were more likely than their peers to report a suicide attempt.

Certain groups of students were significantly more likely than their peers to report a suicide attempt:... Sexual minority youth (32% vs. 7% of other students), Students who were bullied at school (15% vs. 6% of students who were not bullied), Students who skipped school because they felt unsafe (33% vs. 7% of students who did not skip school for safety concerns), and Students who had experienced dating violence or sexual contact against their will (27% vs. 5% of students who did not experience dating violence or sexual contact against their will).

Adolescents who have experienced school victimization, dating violence, sexual contact against their will are especially vulnerable to suicidality, as are gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents, students in urban areas, and recent immigrants.

Sexual minority youth were significantly more likely than other students to report never or rarely wearing a seat belt (29% vs. 15%), riding with a drunk driver (45% vs. 26%), and driving after drinking (24% vs. 11%).

Sexual minority youth and students in urban communities had higher rates than their peers of most sexual risk behaviors.

Four percent (4%) of all students described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and 5% had same-sex sexual contact98 in their lifetimes. In all, 6% of students could be considered sexual minority youth; that is they either identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or had any same-sex sexual contact in their lifetimes.

Sexual minority youth were significantly more likely than other students to report lifetime sexual intercourse (77% vs. 39%), sexual intercourse before age 13 (21% vs. 4%), sexual intercourse with four or more partners in their lifetimes (32% vs. 9%), and recent sexual intercourse (54% vs. 29%). Among students who ever had sexual intercourse in their lifetimes, sexual minority youth were significantly more likely than other students to report having ever been or gotten someone pregnant (17% vs. 9%)99 and having been diagnosed with HIV or another STD (16% vs. 7%).

Sexual minority youth were significantly less likely than other students to have been taught about AIDS or HIV infection in school (85% vs. 92%).. Recent immigrants, sexual minority students and students in urban districts were significantly less likely to have received AIDS or HIV education in school.. Similarly, sexual minority youth have significantly higher rates than their peers of sexual risk behaviors and may be at particularly high risk of STDs and HIV infection.

Sexual minority youth (i.e., students who either identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, or had any same-sex sexual contact) were significantly less likely than other students to report having breakfast every day (22% vs. 33%), participating in regular vigorous physical activity (44% vs. 62%), playing on a sports team (40% vs. 55%), and were significantly more likely to be at risk of becoming overweight (22% vs. 13%) and to have used an unhealthy weight control method (38% vs. 16%).

Patterns of risk are different for different students. Certain groups of students appear to be at greater risk for health and academic problems because of higher rates of risk behaviors. Gender, race/ethnicity, grade level, sexual orientation, kind of community, and many other factors were all related to variations in risk behavior. Although all students need the knowledge, encouragement, and skills to develop healthy lifestyles, it may also be appropriate to develop “targeted” programs aimed specifically at the risks faced by certain segments of the adolescent population.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (2001)
 

Data at Source: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs/01/results.pdf N/A (PDF Download). New URL: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/01/results.pdf .

Gay / Lesbian / Bisexual (GLB): 2% of Males, 4% of Females
53% of GLB: No same-sex sexual activity.
Same-sex sexual activity reported: 37% GLB
GLB and/or Report Same-Sex Sexual Activity: 5% of Males & Females.
 
 

Sexual Minority Youth vs. Others: Intercourse, life (73% vs. 43%) - Intercourse, recent (52% vs. 32%) - Pregnancy Involment (27% vs. 11%) - >= 4 Sex Partners, life (36% vs. 11%) - HIV, STD Testing (42% vs. 24%).

The Safe Schools Program for Gay & Lesbian Students: Program & Resources.
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (1999)

"Sexual minority adolescents (those who identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or reported any same-sex sexual contact) comprised 5.5% of students participating in the survey." Citation From: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs99/chapter6.html. N/A New URL: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/99yrbs6.pdf - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/chapter6.html - Download Page:  http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/default.html .

A total of 4,415 students participated in the study. Therefore, there are about 243 "sexual minority youth" and 4,172 students defined as "other students." These figures are used for calculation in data tables below. The actual numbers may be slightly different.

"Sexual minority youth (i.e, adolescents who either identified themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and/or those who had any same-sex sexual experience [5.5% of students]) reported higher rates than their peers of considering suicide (49% vs. 20%), making a suicide plan (39% vs. 15%), actually attempting suicide (29% vs. 7%), and of requiring medical attention for a suicide attempt (18% vs. 3%). Differences were statistically significant both for self-identified sexual orientation and for same-sex behavior."
 

NOTE: One out of five male and female adolescent suicide attempters and one of four male and female adolescent suicide attempters who received medical attention is a sexual minority youth. On the basis of the Garofalo et al. (1999) study, it is likely that the proportion will be significantly higher for sexual sexual minority male youth, and  lower for sexual minority female youth when compared to their same-gender counterparts.

Data / Citation Source: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs99/chapter8.html N/A. New URL: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/99yrbs8.pdf - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/chapter8.html - Download Page:  http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/default.html .

"Sexual minority youth (those who identified themselves as gay/lesbian/or bisexual and/or who had any same-sex sexual contact) had higher rates of drug use than their peers, including higher lifetime rates of using marijuana (70% vs. 49%), cocaine (29% vs. 9%), methamphetamines (30% vs. 7%), and injected drugs (18% vs. 2%)."

NOTE: One out of 3 students reporting having injected illicit drugs is a sexual minority youth. The 18% of sexual minority youth reporting injecting illicit drugs (n = 44) and the 2% of other students having done the same (n = 83) produces a total of 127 adolescents reporting such activities. Therefore, 34.6% of students (44/126 = 34.6%) reporting injecting illicit drugs are sexual minority youth who form 5.5% of the student population.

Data / Citation Source: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs99/chapter4.html. N/A New URL: http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/99yrbs4.pdf - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/chapter4.html - Download Page:  http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/default.html .

"Sexual minority adolescents (that is, those who identified themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and/or had a history of same-sex sexual contact) reported substantially higher rates of school-related violence than their peers, regardless of whether comparisons were made on the basis of self-identified sexual orientation, same-sex behavior, or both."

"Among male students, those who identified themselves as gay or bisexual and/or who had any same-sex sexual experience were more likely than their male peers to consider themselves overweight (41% vs. 22%). They had significantly higher rates than other male students of trying to control their weight by fasting (21% vs. 6%), taking diet pills (19% vs. 4%), and vomiting or taking laxatives (22% vs. 4%). On the other hand, they were similar to other males in terms of actual Body Mass Index."

Citation Source: - - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs99/chapter10.html N/A. New URL: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/99yrbs10.pdf - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/chapter10.html . - Download Page:  http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/99/default.html .
 

Results: Sexual Orientation/ Same-Sex Sexual Contact

Four percent (4.2%) of all students reported having same-sex sexual experience at some time; percentages of youth with same-sex sexual experience were the same for males and females. Most adolescents (52%) who have had same-sex sexual experience identify themselves as heterosexual; an additional 12% of these youth identify themselves as "not sure" of their sexual orientation.

In all, 5.5% of all students and 9.4% of sexually experienced students could be considered "sexual minority" youth; that is, they have had same-sex sexual contact and/or describe themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

Among adolescents with any history of sexual activity, sexual minority youth were more likely than their peers to report other sexual risks, including:

• having had four or more sexual partners during lifetime (39% vs. 21%),
• having experienced sexual contact against their will (37% vs. 16%),
• having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (19% vs. 4%), and

having ever been or gotten someone pregnant (18% vs. 8%).⁶⁰

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Students

The MYRBS found that:

• 2.8 percent of students surveyed described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
• 5.5 percent of all students described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual and/or reported same-sex sexual contact.

Students at Risk

Students who described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual were significantly more likely than their peers to report attacks, suicide attempts and drug and alcohol use. When compared to peers, this group was:

• over four times more likely to have attempted suicide
• over three times more likely to miss school because of feeling unsafe
• three times more likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school

Reported Behaviors	GLB Students*	Other Students
Attempted suicide in the past year	32.8 %	7.6%
Required medical attention as a result of a suicide attempt	18.5%	3.7%
Skipped school in the past month because of feeling unsafe on route to or at school	20.0%	6.0%
Was threatened/injured with a weapon at school in the past year	24.4%	8.2%
Was In a physical fight resulting in treatment by doctor or nurse	20.3%	4.2%

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (1997)

Demographic Results: "Two percent (2.0%) of students (1.6% of males, 2.4% of females) describe themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. One fourth (26%) of these students have had no sexual experience in their lives. - Three percent (3.0%) of all students (3.5% of males, 2.4% of females) have at some time had same-sex sexual experience. About one percent (0.9%) of students both identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and have had same-sex sexual experience. - In all, 4.0% of all students, and 6.1% of sexually active students have had some same-sex sexual contact and/or describe themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual."

Considering only adolescents with any history of sexual activity, those who described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and/or who had ever had any same-sex sexual partner were more likely than other sexually experienced students to report other sexual risk behaviors, including:

having had four or more sexual partners during lifetime (44% vs. 24%),

having experienced sexual contact against their will (56% vs. 18%),

having used alcohol or drugs prior to last sexual intercourse (36% vs. 23%), and

having ever been or gotten someone pregnant (24% vs. 12%) 53

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (1995)

Garofalo R, Wolf RC, R, Lawrence MS, and Wissow S (1999). Sexual orientation and risk of suicide attempts among a representative sample of youth. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 153(5), 487-93. Abstract from APAM web site. Related Reuters' article (May, 1999): Gay, lesbian adolescents face high suicide risk. (Alternate Link)

Research Highlights:

The study is an analysis of 3.8% of public school students reporting being GLBN (gay, lesbian, bisexual, or "not sure" of their sexual orientation), and 96.2% reporting being heterosexual, their average age being 16.1 years. Latter group includes individuals reporting same-sex activity, but not identifying as GLBN, or 0.81% of the sample. The 1.9% percent of the sample reporting same-sex activity had a suicide attempt rate (for the past 12 months) of 30.6% versus 9.2% for their heterosexual counterpart. The suicide attempt rate for adolescents identified as GLBN was 31.0% versus 9.1% for heterosexual identified adolescents, .22.7% versus 9.1% for adolescents "not sure" of sexual orientation, and 35.3% versus 9.1% for GLB adolescents (not including "not sure" adolescents). GLBN adolescents also at significantly greater risk than heterosexual adolescents for receiving a high score on the three "risk behaviors" scales used for analysis (p < .001): (1) drug use, (2) sexual behavior, and (3) violence / victimization. Given that 18.3% of adolescents did not answer either the sexual orientation question (11%) or the suicide attempt question (10%), the analysis applies only to 81.7% of the total sample: N = 3365 out of 4167 students.

Result of bivariate analysis: GLBN adolescents were 3.4 times more likely (p < .001) than heterosexual adolescents to report a suicide attempt in the past 12 months (31.0% versus 9.1%). For females, reporting a suicide attempt was 2.02 times more likely (p < .006) for LBN adolescents. For males, reporting a suicide attempt was 6.5 times more likely (p < .001) for GBN adolescents.

Result of logistic regression - OR (Odds Ratio) - for cited factor predicting a suicide attempt in the past 12 months:

Males and Females: female (4.43), GLBN (2.28), Hispanic/Latino (2.21), Violence/Victimization (2.06).

Females Only: Hispanic/Latino (2.66), Violence/Victimization (2.35), LBN (1.42); LBN orientation not statistically significant predictor of suicide attempt.

Males Only: GBN (3.74), Hispanic/Latino (1.66), Violence/Victimization (2.35); GLBN orientation statistically significant predictor of suicide attempt.

Comments: Being "female"  is the best predictor of a suicide attempt but, in itself, this factor explains absolutely nothing about why females are at greater risk for attempting suicide. The same applies for being Latino/Hispanic, GLBN, and GBN (in male category). Although the authors stated that GBN males were 6.5 times more likely than heterosexual males to report a suicide attempt, it was maybe thought unimportant to report the percentage of suicide attempters in each category, but males had a suicide attempt rate of  6.4%. Using an estimate of about 4.7% for GBN males (3.8% GB males + .0.9% "not sure") in calculations, the relative rate of suicide attempters would be 33% versus 5.1% for GBN males compared to heterosexual males, with another estimate also made possible. About one quarter - 24.3% -  of male suicide attempters are in the GBN category. Stated otherwise, 4.7% of the students in the GBN category account for about 25% of the male suicide attempt problem.

Missing form this calculation, however, are the male reporting same-gender sexual activity but not identifying as GBN. It is reported that 1.8% of students were in this category and that 55% of them identified as GLBN, while 45% (0.81% of students) identified as heterosexual. This group as a whole, however, has a suicide attempt rate of 30.6%, meaning that maybe the "0.81%" (percentage not given for males only) should have not been placed in the "heterosexual" category - even if they identified as such - given that many in this group are on the path to later GLB identification - as is often reported to have been the case for many GLB adults when reporting on their adolescent years and their often serious problems related to identifying as GLB in spite of most obvious - and acted upon - homosexual desires. Given that this "at risk" group should have been included  to the above calculation, the results may have been that GBN males, including the homosexually active ones self-identifying as heterosexual (for a total of about 5.5% of male subjects), would likely account for more that a quarter (+25%) of the male adolescent suicide attempt problem.

Caveats noted in the study - and especially the ones noted in the Caveat Alert, indicate that the "24.3%" would be an absolute minimum, as would be the "6.5-times" greater risk factor for a suicide attempt by GBN males. In fact, the results of the Turner et al. (1998) study of males aged 16-19 years indicate that, at least with respect to "homo-sex" activity, about 80% of adolescent homo-active males will omit this information on pencil-and-paper questionnaires - the data intake method used in YRBS studies - compared to computer-based data intake methods. A version of the latter was used in the Bagley & Tremblay (1997) study of 750 randomly sampled males ranging in age from 18 to 27 years. The results produced an estimate for lifetime "suicide attempts" to the average age of about 22.5 years, About 11% of homosexually oriented males (defined on the basis of homosexual or bisexual self-identification and/or "being currently homosexual active" (but may not identify as homosexual or bisexual) accounted for 62.5% of the male youth attempted suicide problem. These males were also 14-times more likely than other males to report a suicide attempt.
 

Garofalo R, Wolf RC, Kessel S, Palfrey J, and DuRant RH (1998). The association between health risk behaviors and sexual orientation among a school-based sample of adolescents. Pediatrics, 101(5), 895-902. (Pediatrics Web site "abstract" link.  Related press release by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Note disclaimer at bottom of press release. For AAP  Policy Statement in the form of the 1993 article Homosexuality and Adolescence published in Pediatrics. . Press Release: Boston Children's Hospital. -  Related "Reuters" article, Chicago, May 4, 1998). - Washington Blade Article. - (A PubMed "abstract" link with article delivery service. If link is not working, access abstract via PubMed's Medline. Place this "unique identifier number" - 98232540 - in SEARCH window.)

Research Highlights: - A random sample of 4159 grade 9 to 12 Massachusetts students completed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 1995. The survey instrument, however, was amended to solicit sexual orientation information, thus making possible "risk behavior" comparisons on this basis.

Compared to heterosexual-identified adolescents, homosexually-identified adolescents (gay, bisexual, and lesbian, forming 2.5% of the student population) were:

3.6 times more likely to attempt suicide in the past 12 months (35.5% vs 9.9%)

14.4 times more likely to have used cocaine before the age of 13 (17.3% vs 1.2%)

9.4 times more likely to have used cocaine in last 30 days (25.3% vs 2.7%)

4.8 times more likely to have used cocaine in lifetime (33% vs 6.9%)

8.9 times more likely to have used crack or freebase use in lifetime (35.3% vs 3.5%)

14.1 times more likely to have shared needles for illicit drug use in lifetime (15.5% vs 1.1%)

6.4 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids in lifetime (25% vs 3.9%)

9.6 times more likely to have injected illegal drugs in lifetime (22.2% vs 2.3%)

2.6 times more likely to have been in a fight at school in the past 12 months (38.1% vs 14.4%)

3.4 times more likely that a fighting injury required medical treatment in the past 12 months (14% vs 4.1%)

4.9 times more likely to have missed school in the last 30 days because of fear (25.1% vs 5.1%)

2.8 times more likely to have brought a weapon to school in the last 30 days (25.3% vs 8.9%)

5 times more likely to have brought a gun to school in the last 30 days (24.7% vs 4.9%)

4.6 times more likely to have been threatened with a weapon at school in the last 30 days (32.7% vs 7.1%)

5.1 times more likely to have had more than 3 sexual partners in last 3 months (37.9% vs 5.1%)

3.6 times more likely to have experienced sex against their will in lifetime (32.5% vs 9.1%)

All the above and a number of other risk behaviors (with lesser magnitude of relative risk) were significantly different at the p < .00001 level.

Additional research results are available via "abstract" links listed above.

Information Sources: http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrb95/yrb95ltr.html N/A . New URL: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/95/ . .- Table of Contents -  Summary of Results by SIECUS in SHOP Talk (School Health Opportunities and Progress) Bulletin, Vol. 3(5), 1998: - Health Risk Behaviors and Sexual Orientation Among Adolescents.- The GLBT Health Access Project [A collaborative project initiated in 1996 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), and its founding partners Justice Resource Institute (JRI), The Medical Foundation (TMF), and JSI Research and Training (JSI)]: GLBT Health Concerns in Massachusetts: Highlights of Recent Research.
 

Suicide Information Summary available from the Massachusetts' Department of Education -  1995 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey at  - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrb95/yrb95ltr.html N/A - New URL: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/95/ , and from data made available in Sexual Orientation and Youth Suicide by Lynne Levine & Linda Beeler. Paper presented at Defining the Problem and Meeting The Challenge: Third Bi-Regional Adolescent Suicide Prevention Conference held in Breckenridge, Colorado, September, 1997.

From: the "Sexual Behaviors" section of the file - http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrb95/yrb95111.html#c6 N/A. - New URL: - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/hprograms/yrbs/95/yrb95111.html#c6 .

Students who describe themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and/or who have had same-sex sexual contact are more likely than their peers to report being involved in violence-related incidences and being threatened, including:

• being in a physical fight in the past year (62.3% vs. 37.3%),
• not going to school in the past month because of feeling unsafe at school or on the way to or from school (20.1% vs. 4.5%),
• being threatened/injured with a weapon at school in the past year (66.7% vs. 28.8%),
• carrying a weapon in the past month (43.5% vs. 19.0%), and
• attempting suicide in the past year (36.5% vs. 8.9%).

• heavy alcohol use (5+ drinks in a row) in the past 30 days (47.6% vs. 33.2%),
• recent marijuana use (58.0% vs. 31.3%), and
• lifetime cocaine use (31.0% vs. 6.8%).

4.4% of high school students (grades 9-12) identified as gay, lesbian. or bisexual, and/or reported same-gender sexual activity.

These 'GLB' adolescents were..... (compared to other adolescents):

1.9 times more likely to have considered suicide in the past year (48.8% vs 24.6%).

2.3 times more likely to have planned a suicide in the past year (40.5% vs 17.5%).

4.0 times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (36.0% vs 8.9%).

Comment: - Given that 4.4% of students either self-identified or reported same-gender sexual activity, and that 2.5% are said to self-identify (Garofalo et al., 1998), 1.9% of students would therefore be homosexually active but not-self-identifying as gay, lesbian. or bisexual. According to Garofalo et al. (1998), the risk of GLB adolescents for attempting suicide in the past year was 35.5% compared to 9.9% for heterosexual-identified adolescents. Adding the "1.9%" homosexually active but  non-GLB-identifying student to the "2.5%" self-identifying group (for a total of 4.4%) did not cause a significant difference in "suicide attempt" results: In fact, above, Garofalo et al (1999), reports that the 1.8% of adolescents reporting homosexual activity had a suicide attempt rate of 30.6%.

Of the "4.4%" of homosexually oriented students (based either on self-identification or being homosexually active), 36% reported a suicide attempted in the past year compared to 8.9% for "non-GLB" students according to Levine & Beeler (1997). or "their peers" according to Massachusetts' 1995 YRBS's "Sexual Behavior" section.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Massachusetts (1993)

Highlights: - From a 1993 sample of 3054 grades 9 to 12 students in Massachusetts: 1668 (57%) report having been sexually active with opposite sex only (heterosexual intercourse, 48.7%), both sexes (bisexual, 1.7%), and same-sex only (homosexual, 2.0%), for a total of 3.7% of students being homosexually active by the average age of 16 years. Homosexually active students were "more likely to report fighting and victimization, frequent use of alcohol, other drug use, and recent suicidal behaviors."

Compared to heterosexually active adolescents, homosexually active adolescents were:

1.5-times more likely to have considered suicide (41.7% vs 28.6%).

2.1-times ,more likely to have attempted suicide once (27.5% vs 13.4%).

4.2-times more likely to have made a suicide attempt requiring medical attention (20.0% vs 4.7%).

8.1-times more likely to have attempted suicide 4 or more times (16.1% vs 2.0%).

All the above are statistically significant at p < .05
 

Homosexually active adolescents were also more at risk for manifesting behaviors, and/or having experiences which may be associated with adolescent (even adult) suicide problems.

Compared to heterosexually active adolescents, homosexually active adolescents were:

4.0-times more likely to be involved in episodic heavy drinking (15.0%% vs. 3.8%).

8.7-times more likely to currently be consuming alcohol every day (10.9% vs 1.2%).

6.0-times more likely to to have used cocaine at least once (19.2% vs 3.2%).

19.0-times more likely to have used cocaine 10 or more times (13.3 vs .7%).

5.1-times more likely to have used illegal drugs other than alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine (17.8% vs 3.5%).

6.7-times more likely to have injected illegal drug (20.8% vs 3.1%).

All the above are statistically significant at p < .05
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Vermont: Franklin County (2005)

 2005 Franklin County Student Health Survey Regional Results. Internet: http://www.frcog.org/pubs/teen/05survey.pdf.

Suicide and Sexual Orientation

Overall, students who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual are significantly more likely to have considered, planned, and attempted suicide than their heterosexual peers (p<=.01). Only 6 students reported identifying as “transgendered”, too small a number to produce reliable results.

* In the Past 12 Months.
** ORs for category versus heterosexual.
Appromimate ORs. Counts used for calculations are estimated from percentaged given.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Vermont (2005)

Source: - http://www.outrightvt.org/education/youth_stats.shtml .

The 2005 Vermont Department of Health/Education Youth Risk Behavior Survey¹

Overall this year, 7% of students described themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning (LGBQ) (2005 YRBS Report, page 64).

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Vermont (2001)

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Vermont (1999)

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Vermont (1997)

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Vermont (1995)

Research Highlights: From the Vermont sample of grades 8 to 12 students (in 79 randomly selected public and private schools, 97.5% white) administered the Youth Risk Behavior Survey:  Out of 3886 sexually active adolescent males (36% of boys), 8.7% (Note) reported having been homosexually active (defined by having had "sexual intercourse" with a male).

The statistical analysis basically evaluated the risk for "at risk" behaviors on the basis of the number of male sexual partners reported by males" ("0" to "6 or more"). With an increasing number of male sex partners, males were significantly more at risk for:  (1) suicide attempts ( r = .27, p < 0.0002), (2) "being threatened or injured with a weapon at school, the number of days the students did not attend school because they felt unsafe, and the number of times they had been injured in a fight that required medical treatment." ( r = from .21 to .17, p < 0.0002), and  (3) other behaviors.

Another statistical analysis compared males (131)  with five or more male sex partners with males (895) with five or more female sex partners, thus revealing that 12.8% (131/1026) of the males with the most sexual partners ( > 4 ) are homosexually oriented and over-represented in this category.  The result of this analysis indicated that the homosexually oriented males in this category were more likely to have carried a weapon to school in the last 30 days (p < 0.002), and they were even more likely to carry weapons more frequently, not go to school because of fear, be threatened or injured with a weapon, be in a fight, be injured in a fight and requiring medical attention, be threatened with physical violence, and attempting suicide (all at p < 0.0001).

More statistical results are given, but percentage of males in different risk categories are not given. See data below from another source for the percentages of males "at risk" in the homosexually active vs heterosexually active categories.

Note: There are some discrepancies in the cited number and percentages reported. For example, in Table 1, 3547 boys are noted to not have had sexual intercourse with another male, while a total of 278 boys (86 + 27 + 22 + 12 + 8 + 123) are reported to have had intercourse with a male ranging from the category of "one time" (86) to "6 or more" (123).  These number, however, do not add up to 3886 males, but to 3825 males. Therefore, the percentages of males homosexually active, based on the table data, is 7.3% (278 / 3825). The reason for this discrepancy is not known.

Information Sources: Data reported below is taken from Sexual Orientation and Youth Suicide by Lynne Levine & Linda Beeler. Paper presented at Defining the Problem and Meeting The Challenge: Third Bi-Regional Adolescent Suicide Prevention Conference held in Breckenridge, Colorado, September, 1997. Relevant information is available from Kelly Hale at The Vermont Department of Health (802) 651-1557, or from Shaun Donahue at The Vermont Department of Education (802) 748-8640.

General Information available from The Vermont Department of Health - (Partly on the basis of the 1995 YRBS study):  "Gay and Lesbian Youth: Although many lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents lead happy and healthy lives, others face tremendous challenges to growing up physically and mentally healthy. Compared to heterosexual youth, lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people are at higher risk for depression, alcohol and other drug use, suicide, HIV infection, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Suicide is the leading cause of death among this group. They are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers and may account for 30 percent of suicides among youth annually... Same-gender sexual intercourse. 3% of female students and 4% of male students have had sexual intercourse during their lifetime with someone of the same gender. During the past 3 months, 2% of females and 3% of males have had sexual intercourse with same-gender partners." No specific information is given about the "at risk" status of homosexually oriented adolescents.

Suicide Information Summary:

4% of (grades 8 to 12) male students and 3% of female students reported having been sexually active with a same-gender individual.

These 'GLB' adolescents were..... (compared to other sexually active adolescents):

1.6 times more likely to have considered suicide in the past year (59.2% vs 37.1%).

1.8 times more likely to have planned a suicide in the past year (52.8% vs 28.7%).

2.7 times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (40.7% vs 15.2%).

4.3 times more likely to have attempted suicide which resulted in medical attention (26.5% vs. 6.2%).

Note:  The "at risk" percentages result in this study are higher than in other studies most likely because only sexually active adolescents are being compared, thus indicating that all "sexually" active are more "at risk' than other adolescents, and that homosexually active adolescents are the most at risk.

1995 Vermont YRBS Summary of Results: http://www.outproud.org/article_vyrbs.html .

According to the 1995 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (VRBS), 4% of all 8th-12th male students and 3% of all femals students have had sexual intercourse with a member of the same sex. When compared

• Four times more likely to have attempted suicide
• Nearly seven times more likely to have been threatened or injured with a weapon at school
• Twice as likely to use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and inhalants
• More than ten times likely to have used cocaine
• Almost three times more likely to have been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant

A 2002 Re-Evaluation of Massachusetts 1995/97 & Vermont 1995/97 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys: Bisexually Active Adolescents Most At Risk.

Robin L, Brener ND, Donahue SF, Hack T, Hale K, Goodenow C (2002). Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school.  Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 156(4): 349-55. (PubMed Abstract) (Full Text)

From this paper, the results of 4 surveys are given: 2 from Vermont, and 2 from Massachusetts. The two surveys from Vermont (1995 & 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) were combined to form one data set, and the two survey from Massachusetts (1995 & 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) were combined to form another data set, and results were presented for "Vermont Students" and "Massachusetts Students" from Grades 9 to 12 (High School) as follows for having attempted suicide in the past year:

Percent Attempting Suicide "In the Past Year" (In square brackets [--]: % with suicide attempt associated with having received medical care) for students in 3 categories: (1) Those reporting only opposite sex sexual partners, (2) those reporting only same-sex sexual partner, and (3) those reporting sexual partners of both sexes:

Vermont Students

Those With Only Opposite-Sex Sex Partners (n = 6873) - % attempting suicide = 11.9% [4.5%]
Those With Only Same-Sex Sex partners (n = 249) - % attempting suicide = 16.5% [5.6%]
Those With Sex Partners of Both Sexes (n = 336) - % attempting suicide = 43.5% [26.8%]

Massachusetts Students

Those With Only Opposite-Sex Sex Partners (n = 3948) - % attempting suicide = 12.4% [4.5%]
Those With Only Same-Sex Sex partners (n = 106) - % attempting suicide = 18.5% [7.8%]
Those With Sex Partners of Both Sexes (n = 122) - % attempting suicide = 52.2% [31.6%]

Notes:

1. The above excludes students who are not reporting having had sexual intercourse in their lifetime. Suicide attempts incidences are lower for  students who are not sexually active.
2. There are more student who are bisexually active than students who are only homosexually active - in terms of having sexual partners.
3. Bisexually active students are at the greatest risk for having attempted suicide in the past year. They are also at greater relative risk for suicide attempts associated with having received medical care. Generally, these would be the most serious suicide attempts, but not always.
4. Bisexually active students are also more at risk for a number of other problems. See Abstract.

The information presented above is from Table 2, page 252.
 
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Seattle, WA (1995).

Information Source: Safe Schools Anti-Violence Documentation Project - Part Two: The Seattle Public Schools' Teen Health Risk Survey.    If unavailable, see Table 4: - http://www.safeschools-wa.org/quant_mh.html - and Table 6: http://www.safeschools-wa.org/quant_so.html .  Accessed January, 2000. No longer Available. Data source is from the document "83,000 youth" by Reis and Saewyc (April, 1999) located at - http://www.safeschools-wa.org/83000youth.pdf .

Suicide Information Summary:

"Overall, about 91% of students [grades 9 to 12, public schools] called themselves Heterosexual. The other 9% said either that they did not consider themselves Heterosexual or that they were not sure:"

Question (#58) used: "How would you describe your sexual orientation / preference?  a. Heterosexual - attracted to opposite sex; b. Bisexual - attracted to both sexes; c. Homosexual (Gay or Lesbian) - attracted to same sex; d. Not sure."

1% identified themselves as Gay or Lesbian.

4% described themselves as Bisexual.

Approximately 4% said they were not sure of their orientations."
 

Excluding students who were "not sure" about their sexual orientation - - Compared to heterosexual-identified students, GLB students were:

twice as likely as heterosexual students to report having seriously considered suicide in the twelve months preceding the survey (34.4% vs. 16.7%).

twice as likely to say that they made a suicide plan in the twelve months preceding the survey (31.1% vs. 15.7%).

three times as likely to report having attempted suicide in the twelve months preceding the survey (20.6% vs. 6.7%).

more than four times as likely to report having made a serious enough attempt on their lives to require treatment by a doctor or nurse in the twelve months preceding the survey (9.4% vs. 2.2%).

On the basis of the data produced in this study, it was possible to estimate "the homosexuality factor" in the adolescent suicide attempt problem. For the information and calculations producing the following results, likely to be minimums, follow this link.

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual identified adolescent targeted or not targeted for anti-gay violence, and heterosexual identified adolescents targeted for anti-gay violence because they are believed to be homosexually oriented, account for 27.8% of suicide attempters. (Based on a 'total' student population which excluded students "not sure" about their sexual orientation - 4% of sample.)

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual identified adolescents targeted or not targeted for anti-gay violence, and heterosexual identified adolescents targeted for anti-gay violence because they are believed to be homosexually oriented, account for 37.2% of adolescents for whom their suicide attempt resulted in medical attention.  (Based on a 'total' student population which excluded students "not sure" about their sexual orientation - 4% of sample.)

Implications: Numerous mainstream suicidologists do not seem to understand  how "just being a little faggot or a dyke, or being treated as if one is" could ever be related to suicide attempts or suicide, and David Shaffer (apparently an expert (?) in youth suicide problems) is in this category. Many adolescents who identify as heterosexual are being abused by individuals who are assuming they are homosexually oriented, and their abuse is implicated in their high attempted suicide rates compared to non-abused heterosexual identified teens: 20.5% (8.6% for suicide attempts resulting in medical attention)  versus 5.7% (1.7% for suicide attempts resulting in medical attention) for adolescents not targeted for anti-gay abuse. For GLB adolescents, however, their attempted suicide rates did not vary on the basis of being targeted for anti-gay abuse (about one-third of self-identified GLB teens) or not targeted for anti-gay abuse (two-thirds of self-identified GLB teens) probably because they are remaining in the closet. The attempted suicide rates of the abused GLB teens was 20.3% (9.6% for suicide attempts resulting in medical attention), while non-abused GLB teens had an attempted suicide rate of 19.1% (7.8% for suicide attempts resulting in medical attention). The implications of this information is monumental, given that The Homosexuality Factor is implicated in about 30% of adolescent suicide attempts and about 40% of the suicide attempts resulting in medical attention. The greater proportion of the more serious suicide attempts occurring in this latter category also strongly suggests that the most serious results of suicide attempts - DEATHS - may have an even greater over-representation by teens for whom The Homosexuality Factor applies. It is possible that  50 to 70 percent of teen suicide have been in this category.

Research Results Needed: To determine the total for "The Homosexuality Factor" in adolescent suicide problems. Doing this would require "suicide attempt" information about the "not sure" group representing about 4% of sample. It is possible that the "not sure" group - with doubts about their sexual orientation - may have elevated levels of suicide problem, and some of them would surely be in the group targeted for "anti-homosexuality" abuse, thus increasing the size of this "at risk" category.

The Seattle (1996) Survey results should also be separated by gender which would likely produce higher risk factor for homosexually oriented males compared to heterosexual-identified males given that females are at lesser risk for being target for anti-homosexuality abuse (See Oregon 1997 Survey and Oregon 1999 results)
 
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Wisconsin (2001)

2001 YRBS: Appendix C - Sexual Violence (PDF Info Source Page) - 2001 Index Page: http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsea/sspw/yrbsindx.html .

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Wisconsin (1999)

Information was not reported about the possible higher risk for suicide attempts of students who responded affirmatively to the question:

Have you ever been threatened or hurt because someone thought you were gay, lesbian, or bisexual?

1999 YRBS: Appendix C - Sexual Violence (PDF Info Source Page)

From PDF file "Weapons and Violence": As might be expected, there were also significant relationships between threats and feelings of safety. Students who reported feeling 'always' or 'usually' safe were significantly less likely to have reported being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in the past 12 months. Similarly, students who felt unsafe at school were significantly more likely to have been hurt or threatened because someone thought they were gay, lesbian, or bisexual and to have been threatened or hurt because of their race. Similar patterns were found between having been threatened or injured with a weapon in the past 12 months and having been threatened or hurt because of one's race or perceived sexuality... Male students were twice as likely to report that they had been threatened or hurt because someone thought they were gay. lesbian, or bisexual.... However there were no significant differences between grade levels in the percentages of students reporting that they were threatened or hurt because of their race or because someone thought they were gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Wisconsin (1997)

Information was not reported about the possible higher risk for suicide attempts of students who responded affirmatively to the question:

Have you ever been threatened or hurt because someone thought you were gay, lesbian, or bisexual?

1997 YRBS: Appendix C - Sexual Violence (Info Web Page)

3% of females and 6% of males answered "yes", for a total of 4% of students. Some information related to this group of students is available in the Weapons and Violence section. Example: "Twenty-three percent of those who don't feel safe on the way to or from school [3% of students] reported having been threatened or hurt because someone thought they were gay, lesbian, or bisexual, compared to only four percent of those who "always" or "usually" felt safe [64% of students].

The Safe Schools Coalition of WA - Trainer's Manual (PDF Download, but stated document no longer available)  reports (at the end of the document) that "sexual minority youth" in the 1997 Wisconsin survey were at higher risk for "suicide attempts serious enough to have required treatment by a health care professional." but this is not possible given that "sexual orientation" information was not solicited. The information they may have encountered could only apply the the group targeted for abuse resulting from the assumption that they were gay, lesbian, or bisexual.

Violence against gay and lesbian students was a problem nonetheless recognized by John T. Benson, State Superintendent, Madison, Wisconsin in The Power of Teaching: Characteristics of Effective Classroom Instruction on Health and Safety Issues (Bulletin No. 99061)

Students harassed on the basis of assumed homosexual orientation were reported to be, compared to students not harassed in such ways,  more at risk for many behaviors such as:

1. Seriously Considered Suicide in Past 12 Months: 51.7% vs 23.4% .

2.  Attempted Suicide and Had to Be Treated by Doctor or Nurse in Past 12 Months: 13.3% vs 3.3%.

3. Have Missed at Least One Day of School Because I Felt Unsafe in Past 30 Days: 16.7% vs 2.3%.

4. Usually Do Not Feel Safe From Physical Harm on My Way To or From School: 2.1% vs 13.3%.

5. Have Used Cocaine (powder, crack, or freebase) Ever: 23.3% vs 6.9%.

6. Have Been Pregnant or Gotten Someone Pregnant Ever: 15.0% vs 4.7%.

Data Source (with more results): Eighty-Three Thousand Youth, Table 5: http://www.safeschools-wa.org/quant_mh.html N/A . See: - http://www.safeschools-wa.org/ -  http://www.safeschools-wa.org/83000youth.pdf  (PDF Download of Document)
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Oregon (1997)

One question, however, asked the students whether they had been harassed in the previous 30 days and, if so, why. Two percent of the respondents said they had been because they were perceived to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. These students were four times more likely to say that they attempted suicide than were their non-harassed peers (21% vs. 5%). Among those perceived to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual, harassed males were six times more likely than their non-harassed counterparts to attempt suicide (17% vs. 3%) while females were four times more likely (28% vs. 7%).

Possible Answers: a. I was not harassed; b. Race or national origin; c. Unwanted sexual attention or comments; d. Perceived sexual orientation (gay/ lesbian/ bisexual); e. Physical disability; f. Other not listed; g. Don't know why I was harassed.

Note:  The question specified a "in the past 30 days" time frame - which would predictable produce a lower incidence than not specifying a time frame - as was done in the Seattle (1995) survey which produced an incidence level of about 8%.  Therefore, the Wisconsin group would likely represent a majority of the adolescents regularly subjected to such abuse, as opposed to maybe only occasionally and therefore more likely to have in the more distant past, or more than 30 days before the survey questionnaire was completed.
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Oregon (1999)

A more comprehensive report on the data is located on a separate web page. Table 1 (of 3) reproduced below:
 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey, San Francisco (1997)

Voice of Connecticut Youth Survey (1997)

Boulder County, Colorado: Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2003)

Chicago Public Schools - Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2003)

A 2002 Re-Evaluation of Massachusetts 1995/97 & Vermont 1995/97 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys: Bisexually Active Adolescents Most At Risk.

Robin L, Brener ND, Donahue SF, Hack T, Hale K, Goodenow C (2002). Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite-, same-, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school.  Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 156(4): 349-55. (PubMed Abstract) (Full Text)

From this paper, the results of 4 surveys are given: 2 from Vermont, and 2 from Massachusetts. The two surveys from Vermont (1995 & 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) were combined to form one data set, and the two survey from Massachusetts (1995 & 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) were combined to form another data set, and results were presented for "Vermont Students" and "Massachusetts Students" from Grades 9 to 12 (High School) as follows for having attempted suicide in the past year:

Percent Attempting Suicide "In the Past Year" (In square brackets [--]: % with suicide attempt associated with having received medical care) for students in 3 categories: (1) Those reporting only opposite sex sexual partners, (2) those reporting only same-sex sexual partner, and (3) those reporting sexual partners of both sexes:

Vermont Students

Those With Only Opposite-Sex Sex Partners (n = 6873) - % attempting suicide = 11.9% [4.5%]
Those With Only Same-Sex Sex partners (n = 249) - % attempting suicide = 16.5% [5.6%]
Those With Sex Partners of Both Sexes (n = 336) - % attempting suicide = 43.5% [26.8%]

Massachusetts Students

Those With Only Opposite-Sex Sex Partners (n = 3948) - % attempting suicide = 12.4% [4.5%]
Those With Only Same-Sex Sex partners (n = 106) - % attempting suicide = 18.5% [7.8%]
Those With Sex Partners of Both Sexes (n = 122) - % attempting suicide = 52.2% [31.6%]

Notes:

1. The above excludes students who are not reporting having had sexual intercourse in their lifetime. Suicide attempts incidences are lower for  students who are not sexually active.
2. There are more student who are bisexually active than students who are only homosexually active - in terms of having sexual partners.
3. Bisexually active students are at the greatest risk for having attempted suicide in the past year. They are also at greater relative risk for suicide attempts associated with having received medical care. Generally, these would be the most serious suicide attempts, but not always.
4. Bisexually active students are also more at risk for a number of other problems. See Abstract.

The information presented above is from Table 2, page 252.
 

Caveat for studies soliciting "taboo" information (socially disapproved behaviors, including illegal behavior) from adolescent and young adult males. The "pencil & paper" method produces great underestimates.

Therefore, the data soliciting method used by researchers may make the difference between a study reporting that a certain type of "taboo" behavior is 'non-existent' in a human group (asking men "face-to-face" if they have has sex with children, or even asking men related questions on the telephone), and another study reporting related data. A major research question must therefore focus on the reliability of research studies reporting the extent of "taboo" behaviors in society, especially for the studies reporting the percentages of teenage or adult males homosexually active with (1) older males (may be intergenerational), (2) plus/minus same-age males, (3) younger males (may be intergenerational), and pre-puberty males (may be pedophilia). All such activities are "taboo" and the "taboo" degree will vary depending one one's immediate environment - such as one's culture ot subculture - and life circumstances), noting here that homosexuality was decreed to reflect "mental disorder" in North America until 1973-4. Homosexual behavior also has a history of being illegal, and the illegality of such activities still exists in about 22 American states. The decriminalization of male homo-sex behaviors only began after 1960 in North America.

On the basis of the "admission" results related to men sexually interested in children in the Bagley et al. (1994) study, the demographic part of the study (Bagley & Tremblay, 1998; available on the Internet by 1996) was predicted to most likely have decent reliability with respect to its effectiveness at soliciting less taboo information, such as men reporting being either homosexual or bisexual (Many males in these categories are still guarded with respect the ones to whom  such 'identity" information will be revealed.), and with respect to men reporting being homosexually active (having sex at least once with a male in the last six month). These men may quite reluctant to let anyone know about such activities, although their male sexual partner(s) may "know," but they may have been in the "anonymous" category, and their reluctance may be great if these homo-active males are married to a female and are fathers.  See Bagley & Tremblay (1996)  for the results indicating that about 10% of males (both on the basis of self-identification and of being currently homosexually active) may be deemed homosexual or bisexual. The study results also challenged the 1-3 percent estimates of recent studies done using face-to-face interviews; they were deemed to produce highly unreliable "male sexuality" estimates in the [gross] "underestimate" category ranging from about 400% for homosexual behavior and up to 800% for self-identification as homosexual or bisexual. In this respect, Bagley & Tremblay stated: "Studies producing 200 to 800 percent underestimates for male homosexual realities should be unacceptable as social science research" (Bagley & Tremblay, 1998, Journal of Homosexuality, 36(2), p. 14).

In May, 1998, the following study was published and it reports on the response differences between two methods used to solicit taboo and illegal behavior information from adolescent males ranging in age from 15 to 19 years:

Abstract Access:  Access to the abstract may be made via the Science Magazine web site (http://www.sciencemag.org), but registering at the site is required - free.  Use this URL (http://intl.sciencemag.org/) for faster access in these countries: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, The Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UK. A document delivery service is also a available and a fee is charged to access the full text of the article. When in the site, use this link to immediately access the abstract. (http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/280/5365/867) or (http://www.intl.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/280/5365/867) if you are at the international web site. (A PubMed "abstract" link with a document delivery service.)

Research Highlights:

Sample: A random survey of 1672 males (number used for analysis) aged 15- to 19-years old living at a fixed address in the continental United States from February to November, 1995.

Study: Subjects were asked a number of questions, including questions relating to same-sex activity and illicit drug use. This was done using a pencil and paper method, and also via computer, supplemented by a verbal rendition of the questionnaire heard through headphones.

Results: The difference in "the effectiveness" of the two method for collecting sensitive data was remarkable. For example, "no male who was behind in school reported any of the six male-male sexual behaviors when completing the paper SAQ. In the audio-CASI condition, 6.2%...(answered affirmatively on one or more of these questions).  As a group, however, there was a "fourfold" increase (400%) in males reporting homosexual activity when the computer-audio system was used: from a 1.5% to 5.5% positive response rate; the homosexual behavior with the greatest reporting difference (eightfold, adjusted) was to the question "Ever had receptive anal sex with another male (his penis in your rectum or butt)": 0.1% to 0.8%.  For illicit behaviors such as "ever shared needle," the difference was about tenfold (adjusted): from 0.1% to 1.1%. For "ever taken street drug using a needle: from 1.4% to 5.2% - a fourfold increase.

Discussion: .It was noted that differences in response response rates generally did not occur with the two data intake methods when soliciting information not deemed to be illicit or taboo, thus leading to the conclusion that, at least for adolescent males 15- to 19-years of age, something 'special' occurs in their mind (in terms of withholding taboo information) when it is requested asked for this information via a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, and the difference is most significant for males behind in their grade level. The implications are that these boys - in addition to being like other boys in terms of withholding sensitive information - may also have difficulty reading and this problem would be overcome with the audio part of the computer-based data soliciting method. Furthermore, using expressions like "having a penis in your butt" is also a way to solicit information in a most non-ambiguous ways; males are not likely to misinterpret the question.

THE GREAT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CDC's YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEYS (YRBS)   and   THE RELATED PUBLISHED  1998  ANALYSES CONFIRMING THAT SELF-IDENTIFIED GAY/BISEXUAL MALE YOUTH   or  MALE YOUTH REPORTING BEING HOMOSEXUALLY ACTIVE  are  AT (STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT) GREATER RISK FOR A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS, INCLUDING SUICIDE ATTEMPTS:

The YRBS are pencil-and-paper questionnaires, meaning that they it would be one of the least effective method to use (the worst probably being face-to-face interviews)  for identifying adolescent males who have been engaging in illicit activities (such as street drug use) and highly taboo (possibly illegal) behaviors such as homosexual activity.  On the basis of the Turner et al. (1998) study summarized above, an informed conclusion would be that the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys are grossly underestimating male (and possibly female) homosexual activity in adolescence. Therefore the result reported by Faulkner & Cranston (1998) for the Massachusetts' 1993 YRBS study (homosexual activity reported by 3.5% of male and female adolescents (106/3054) and by Durant et al. (1998) for 1995 Vermont YRBS study: 8.7% of males reporting homosexual activity) would be underestimates. If, for example, the 4-times underreporting factor from the Turner et al. (1998) study is used, the "2.6%" estimate for boys being homosexually active in Massachusetts would lead to the informed speculation that about 10.4% of adolescent boys (age 15 to 19) are homosexually active in Massachusetts, but most (75%) did not identify this fact on the pencil-and-paper questionnaire given to them for the YRBS study. This "10.4%", however, is higher that the 5.5% estimate reported by Turner et al. (1998), and also higher than the  How could this be? There are many factors which can influence study results such as, for example, the fact that the Vermont study is a school sample and the Turner et al. study is a random sample requiring living at a fixed address. Gay adolescents, however, are at risk for being street youth and they may also be living with a man who, when contacted by the ones doing a random survey, may not revealed that the requested adolescent male was residing in his home. Such life situations, if they applied to some of the surveyed households, would lead to underestimates of homosexually active males in the adolescent population. On the other hand, a similar "underestimate" would also apply to school samples given that homosexually oriented youth are at greater risk for not being at school - thus increasing the likelihood of not being present the day the survey was administered, thus resulting in an underestimate for school samples.

There are many factors which will affect estimates for homosexually active male adolescents, and others which will affect estimates of homosexual- and bisexual-identified males. Furthermore, all such samples have been used for statistical analyses to establish, for example, that gay/bisexual male adolescents are significantly more at risk for suicide attempts than their heterosexual-identified counterparts. The Remafedi et al. (1998) study, for example, left out male adolescents "not sure about their sexual orientation" from the analysis. Therefore, although it could be said that 2% of gay/bisexual males with a lifetime attempted suicide rate of 28% would not account for 30% of the male youth attempted suicide problem, the "2%" would represent a small subset of the estimated 10 to 12 percent of homosexually oriented males who, let's say by the age of 18 to 27 (average age of 22.7 years, as reported by Bagley & Tremblay, 1997), would then account for about 25% of the males who reported self-harm activities in their lifetime, and 62.5% of males reporting a deliberate attempt at self-killing. A number of reasons account for the great differences between the spectacular Bagley & Tremblay (1997) "suicide attempt" results and the  more modest results resulting from studies of adolescent male:

1. In studies of adolescent male samples where "being homosexually active" is used as the study's sampling and analysis criteria, males who are not homosexually active but already self-identify as gay or bisexual (and are having related problems, such as attempting suicide), are either excluded from the sample or they are placed in the "heterosexual" group simply because they report having had "sexual intercourse" with a female and not with a male.

2. In studies of adolescent male samples where "self-identifying as homosexual/gay or bisexual" is used as the study's sampling and analysis criteria , males not in this category - but are homosexually active - and may later keep on being homosexually active with or without self-identification as homosexual/gay or bisexual and report that they were having serious problems (even including suicide attempts), will either be left out of the analysis or be placed in the "heterosexual-identified" category because they identified as heterosexual at the time. This would happen because these boys are desperately attempting to make themselves believe they were not homosexual or even bisexual, in spite of the behavioral evidence. Many men in many cultures are homosexually active, but only in dominant "insertive" ways; they behave sexually with a male as they would with a female, and identify as 100% heterosexual. In other words, their definition of homosexual or bisexual is not the one assumed by researchers. Another example of this happens when boys have somehow accepted the common belief that homosexuals are only men who have sex with boys; they therefore cannot report identifying to be homosexual. Boys who also commonly believe that gay (or homosexual) boys are effeminate will not report being homosexual (or even bisexual, meaning that they are effeminate only a part of the time) even if they are having sex with other boys and even men.

3. Adolescent male samples studied may have an average age of 15 or 16 year if the sample ranges from grade 8 or 9 to grade 12, meaning that about half of the gay/bisexual males who attempt suicide during their adolescent lives have not yet done so. Only a study of older males, such as the one carried out by Bagley & Tremblay (1997) (but even better studies may be designed), will render a decent 'picture' - or estimate - of what was the "suicide attempt" situation was during adolescence for homosexually oriented males compared to heterosexual males; the Bagley & Tremblay 1997 results also includes a few years into into young adulthood (to the age when they participated in the study: 18- to 27-years, average = 22.7 years, therefore an average of 3 years beyond adolescence) for most of the sampled males..

The Turner et al. (1998) study therefore serves as a serious caveat for all pencil-and-paper surveys involving the request for "homosexuality" information from adolescent (and probably young adult male) subjects studied and the subsequent analysis of the "at risk" status of homosexually oriented adolescent males compared to their heterosexual counterparts:

The "at risk" male adolescent population being identified may only represent about 25% of the targeted population which could have been identified had a better data-soliciting/intake method had been used.  The additional caveat is that, no matter what method is used to solicit "homosexuality" information from adolescent males (and probably young adult males), the ones responding affirmatively to the requested "homosexuality" information will always represent an underestimate of "homosexually oriented" males in the study sample (Bagley & Tremblay, 1996).

 Data and Results on New Page.

The development of this GBLT information web-pages was made possible through the collaboration of Richard Ramsay (Professor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary) and Pierre Tremblay (independent researcher, writer, and GLBT children/youth advocate) who both recognize that often needed social changes occur as the result of knowledge availability and dissemination.

Graphics are compliments of Websight West. The Synergy Centre donated computer/Internet time to facilitate the construction of this GLBT information site.

The information made available on this web-page does not represent all the relevant information available on the Internet, nor in professional journals and in other publications. Nonetheless, a wealth of information on GLB suicide problems has been made available.

This web-page was constructed to supply a spectrum of information to individuals who may be seeking to understand one or more of the many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues.

Professional Education - - Counseling  &  Therapy - - Identity Formation  &  Coming Out - - Homo-Negativity / Phobia - - Lesbian  &  Bisexual Women - - Transgender / Transvestite / Transsexual - - Bisexuality - - Public School Issues - - Religion   &  Spirituality - - Homosexuality:  Biological  or  Learned ? - - "Of Colour " :  North American  &  International - - Male  Youth ProstitutionDrug / Alcohol Use / Abuse /  Addiction - - HIV- AIDS - - GLBT  History - - Community Attributes  &  Problems - - Couples / Families/ Children / Adoption / Spousal Violence - - The Elderly - - Latin America and Africa - - Asia and The Middle East.

Visitor Numbers

Yahoo DSL

I got this Award:
 If you want one click on the image