Sexual orientation and gender identity in youth suicide victims: an exploratory study.
OBJECTIVE
Our study was designed to explore additional outcome variables of a suicide case-control study to determine the association between sexual orientation and gender identity in suicide completion in children and adolescents.


METHODS
Fifty-five child and adolescent suicide victims and 55 community control subjects were assessed using semi-structured, proxy-based interviews and questionnaires regarding sexual orientation and gender issues, psychopathological diagnoses, and service use.


RESULTS
In our sample, no significant differences between suicide victims and control subjects were found regarding same-sex sexual orientation nor intimidation related to same-sex sexual orientation. Suicide victims with same-sex sexual orientation were more likely than suicide victims without same-sex sexual orientation, to meet criteria for anxiety disorders. Within the month preceding their deaths, these youth were more likely to have consulted a health professional, a psychiatrist, as well as having been hospitalized, and were more likely to have consulted a psychiatrist in the last year.


CONCLUSIONS
In our sample, same-sex sexual orientation and gender identity issues do not appear to be more prevalent among youth who die by suicide, compared with youth recruited from the general population, nor for same-sex sexual-related intimidation. While exhibiting comparable levels of general psychopathological diagnoses associated with suicide, suicide victims with same-sex sexual orientation were more likely to meet criteria for anxiety disorders and to have consulted mental health professionals before their deaths.
Renaud
Johanne
J
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. johanne.renaud@douglas.mcgill.ca
Berlim
Marcelo T
MT
Begolli
Melissa
M
McGirr
Alexander
A
Turecki
Gustavo
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires