Gay Male Youth Seven Times More Likely to report Suicide Attempts than Heterosexual Peers

Media note: Embargoed by the American Journal of Public Health until 3 p.m. CDT Thursday, Aug. 28. Sound bites are available at (612) 625-6666.

Contacts:
Teri Charest, Academic Health Center Communications, (612) 624-4604, [email protected]
Dr. Gary Remafedi, associate professor of pediatrics, (612) 627-6820

GAY MALE YOUTH SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO REPORT SUICIDE ATTEMPTS THAN HETEROSEXUAL PEERS, U OF MINNESOTA STUDY SHOWS

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found young gay men are seven times more likely to report attempted suicide than their heterosexual peers, but suicide attempts were unrelated to sexual orientation in young women. The study will appear in the August issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

The study, led by associate professor of pediatrics Gary Remafedi, compared all junior and senior high school students in the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey who identified themselves as bisexual or homosexual (131 males and 144 females) to heterosexual students with similar demographic characteristics.

Twenty-eight percent of bisexual and homosexual males reported a suicide attempt--seven times the percentage of heterosexual males. Bisexual and homosexual males were approximately three times more likely to report intentions to kill themselves than are their heterosexual peers. However, bisexual, homosexual and heterosexual females had similar rates of suicidal thoughts, intentions and attempts, suggesting sexual orientation is unrelated to suicide risk in young women.

"Homosexuality itself does not cause suicidal thoughts and behaviors, based on the apparent absence of a link between sexual orientation and suicidality in females," Remafedi said. "The risk of suicide among gay male youth is probably mediated by other factors like substance use, being labeled as 'different' or verbal and physical harassment."

The researchers say this is the first study to examine the association between suicide risk and sexual orientation in a representative population of adolescents and the first to directly compare bisexual, homosexual and heterosexual youth.

The Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey was completed by 36,324 Minnesota junior and senior high school students in 1987. The authors believe the study has important implications for understanding the problem of youth suicide, developing prevention efforts and informing families and professionals who might recognize warning signs and offer support and treatment.

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