title: Sexual orientation and self-harm in men and women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies of homosexual people have found higher rates of nonfatal suicidal behavior than among heterosexuals. The purpose of this study was to determine associations between self-harm and sexual orientation for men and women separately, defining sexual orientation by sexual attraction rather than by behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a birth cohort of 1,019 New Zealand young adults eligible to be interviewed at age 26 years, 946 participated in assessments of both sexual attraction and self-harm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both women and men who had experienced same-sex attraction had higher risks of self-harm. The odds ratios for suicidal ideation in the past year were 3.1 for men and 2.9 for women. Odds ratios for ever having deliberately self-harmed were 5.5 for men and 1.9 for women. Men with same-sex attraction were also significantly more likely to report having attempted suicide. In both sexes, a greater degree of same-sex attraction predicted increasing likelihood of self-harm, with over one-third of men and women with persistent major same-sex attraction reporting this. Men with even a minor degree of same-sex attraction had high rates of self-harm and resulting physical injury. One-quarter of deliberate self-harm among men and one-sixth among women was potentially attributable to same-sex attraction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence of a link between increasing degrees of same-sex attraction and self-harm in both men and women, with the possibility of some difference between the sexes that needs to be explored further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand. keren.skegg@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
authors.forename: Keren
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skegg
authors.forename: Shyamala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nada-Raja
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires