Abstract

Sexual and racial/ethnic minority status and suicidal behaviors among adolescent males

Carolina Hausmann-Stabile, PhD1, Omar Martinez, JD, MPH, MS2, Rasmi Nair, MPH, PhD(c)2, Cortney Bruno, BA2 and Miguel Muñoz-Laboy, DrPH2
(1)Temple University's School of Social Work, Philadelphia, PA, (2)Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

APHA 2016 Annual Meeting & Expo (Oct. 29 - Nov. 2, 2016)

Objectives: To examine how sexual and racial/ethnic minority status affects adolescent males' risks to ideate, plan, and attempt suicide. Methods: Data are from the 2013 CDC YRBS and collected from 13 states that recorded the participants' self-reported sexual orientation/gender identity, race/ethnicity, and suicidal behaviors. We analyzed data from males between the ages of 14 and 17 (N = 10,513). Descriptive statistics were conducted for all variables of interest. We regressed suicidal ideation, planning, and attempting using sexual orientation and gender identity as independent variables; and race/ethnicity, sexual and dating victimization, and early intercourse as covariates. Post-logistic regression analyses were performed to further explore the role of race/ethnicity in the suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts of sexual majority and minority males. Results: Sexual minority status increases the risk for suicidal ideation (OR = 4.09; 95% CI = 2.95, 5.65), planning (OR = 3.94; 95% CI = 2.85, 4.59), and attempts (OR = 4.68; 95% CI = 3.31, 6.62). Racial/ethnic minority youth report higher levels of suicidal ideation, planning and attempts that white adolescent males. Hispanic, black, and white sexual minority males reported the highest levels of suicide attempts (33.19%, 25.86%, and 16.80% respectively); and white, Hispanic, and black heterosexual males, the lowest (5.4%, 7.67%, and 8.4% respectively). Conclusions: Public health strategies addressing adolescent males' suicidal behaviors must take into account the compounded risks posed by sexual and ethnic/racial minority status.

Diversity and culture Public health or related research Social and behavioral sciences