title: Impact of victimization on risk of suicide among lesbian, gay, and bisexual high school students in San Francisco.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the association between sexual orientation, victimization, and suicide risk-related outcomes among youth attending public high schools in San Francisco.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were analyzed using bivariate and logistic regression methods for complex samples to examine the relationship between sexual orientation, victimization, and three suicide risk-related outcomes (sadness/depression, suicide planning, and attempting suicide) while controlling for demographics and substance use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) youth reported significantly higher rates of substance use, victimization, and suicide risk-related outcomes than heterosexual youth. However, in the controlled regression models, victimization was a significant predictor of sadness/depression and suicide attempts, regardless of sexual orientation. There was a significant interaction effect between sexual orientation and victimization on suicide planning, with heterosexual youth more affected than LGB youth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results underscore the deleterious effect of victimization on suicide risk-related outcomes, regardless of sexual orientation. As LGB youth continue to report higher rates of victimization, effective violence prevention approaches must focus on reducing violence among youth, specifically LGB youth. Additional research should focus on identification of other factors that may help further explain elevated suicide risk among LGB youth.
authors.affiliation: ETR Associates, San Francisco, CA, USA. johns@etr.org
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glassman
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.forename: Kelli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data