Suicidality Among Psychiatrically Hospitalized Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and/or Questioning Youth: Risk and Protective Factors

Purpose: The study purpose was to compare suicide risk between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning (LGBTQ) and non-LGBTQ adolescents in a psychiatric hospital. Methods: Data were obtained from self-report measures completed by patients 12-17 years of age (n = 334) in a Midwestern psychiatric hospital from 2016 to 2017. Factors analyzed included sexual orientation, gender identity, suicidality, depression, nonsuicidal self-injury, abuse, substance use, bullying, perceived discrimination, and adult support. Results: Nearly one-third of patients identified as LGBTQ. A lifetime suicide attempt was reported by 69.6% of LGBTQ patients compared with 43.6% of non-LGBTQ patients. However, the prevalence of suicide attempts among LGBTQ patients with high adult support did not differ from that of non-LGBTQ patients. In the full logistic regression model adjusting for 13 factors, the adjusted odds ratio of a suicide attempt was 5.25 among transgender/questioning patients and 2.41 among nontransgender lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or questioning patients. All risk factors, apart from substance use, were more prevalent among LGBTQ than non-LGBTQ patients (p < 0.005). Among LGBTQ patients of color (Black/Latinx/Other), 91.3% had a lifetime suicide attempt versus 62.3% of White LGBTQ patients (p = 0.009). Conclusion: LGBTQ patients overall, and LGBTQ patients of color in particular, had higher rates of suicide attempts than non-LGBTQ patients. LGBTQ patients also had a higher prevalence of risk factors for suicide; however, the study variables did not fully explain the higher prevalence of suicide attempts. Future research should further examine possible risk factors for suicide among LGBTQ youth, such as stigma and discrimination.

Automated summary

The study aimed to compare suicide risk between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ adolescents in a psychiatric hospital. Results showed that LGBTQ adolescents, especially LGBTQ adolescents of color, had higher rates of suicide attempts compared to non-LGBTQ adolescents.