title: Suicidal risk and sexual orientation in adolescence: a population-based study in Iceland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Suicidality is an important public health problem, particularly among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adolescents and young adults. The purpose of the present study is to compare the rate of suicide ideations and attempts among LGB adolescent to that of non-LGB adolescents in a population-based sample, and to identify important protective factors as well as risk factors Method: We used the Icelandic data set from the 2009/2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. The sample consisted of 3813 grade 10 Icelandic adolescents; 1876 girls and 1937 boys. The participants were asked about attraction and/or activity, as well as about suicidal ideation and/or attempts. The questionnaire also included various other items regarding health and lifestyle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LGB adolescents were five to six times more likely to have had frequent suicidal ideations. Factors that were associated with less suicide ideations and fewer attempts were easy communication and liking school. The LGB girls were six times more likely to have had frequent suicide attempts, whilst the LGB boys were 17 times more likely to have attempted suicide that often. No specific protective or risk factors were identified for suicidality in LGB adolescents other than bullying.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents that had engaged in heterosexual activity and those that had LGB attraction had similarly heightened risk for suicidality, but sexually active LGB adolescents were far more likely to have suicidal ideations or to have attempted suicide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Akureyri, Akureyri, Iceland aarnarsson@unak.is.
authors.forename: Arsaell
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnarsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Akureyri, Akureyri, Iceland.
authors.forename: Sigrun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sveinbjornsdottir
authors.affiliation: School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Einar B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Thorsteinsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Akureyri, Akureyri, Iceland.
authors.forename: Thoroddur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bjarnason
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D008297:Male; D065840:Protective Factors; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Adolescent; LGB; homosexuality; sexuality; suicide