A Look at Gay Suicide Risk in the our Country

This is an interesting look at the trials of our troubled gay teens. Following Dr. Mark L. Hatzenbuehler's work, we can learn how the gay teens' environment contributed to the high risk for suicide attempts.

Here's more

More than 70 percent of the thousands of calls to the 24/7 Trevor Lifeline originate in the southern and central regions of the United States, where there are traditionally fewer legal protections, in- and out-of-school support services and accepting environments for LGBTQ young people. While there are wonderful programs in these areas that do excellent work, some youth in these areas receive less support and face tougher challenges in their communities and schools.


For example, 1.95 percent of the United States population resides in the state of Missouri, yet 3.37 percent of the 2010 volume to The Trevor Lifeline originated there -- illustrating a disproportionately high demand for LGBTQ crisis intervention and suicide prevention services in that state. 

Other states with disproportionately high call volume include: Nebraska, Indiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi to name a few. The youth in these states, along with countless others, are in need of help that just is not often accessible at the local level. 

Dr. Hatzenbuehler's research serves to highlight what we have seen for more than a decade: Non-accepting community, school and familial environments are associated with an elevated risk for suicide attempts among LGBTQ youth. Examining counties across Oregon, he finds that youth living in environments with less support for lesbian and gay people are 20 percent more likely to attempt suicide than those youth living in areas with support.

Nonetheless, the data here are drawn from a population-based sample, a relative rarity in LGBTQ youth research, which has largely depended on smaller convenience samples. This study highlights why asking sexual orientation questions on larger population-based surveys is so important; those data allow us to make larger generalizations and better target our programs to the young people most in need.

This info is a great start in applying next steps. Hopefully, something will be done in order to protect our youth.

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