LGB Teens 5 times more likely to Attempt Suicide
Image via Wikipedia A study published in Pediatrics this week claimed to have found a link between a negative ‘social environment’ and suicide attempts among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. [1] The headline of the news feed from Reuters read “ Social environment linked to gay teen suicide risk” [2] The first line more accurately reflected the content of the study: “Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers – but those living in a supportive community might be a little better off…” The headline could have more accurately read “LGB Teens 5 times more likely to attempt suicide, whether they live in communities with positive or negative attitudes to homosexuality.” The study found that 21.5% of LGB teens (vrs. 4.2% of heterosexual teens) surveyed in the Oregon Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported a suicide attempt. The authors attempted to link these suicides to community attitudes in the counties where the teens live