Report

Mental Health and Suicidality Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sexual Minority Youths

July 2014

Using pooled data from Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, this study examines adverse health outcomes among sexual minority youth and compares outcomes for youth of color to white youth. It was published in the American Journal of Public Health in June 2014.

AUTHORS
  • Wendy B. Bostwick
    Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Ilan H. Meyer
    Distinguished Senior Scholar of Public Policy
  • Frances Aranda
    Senior Research Specialist, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Stephen Russell
    Professor, University of Texas at Austin
  • Tonda Hughes
    Professor Emerita, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Michelle Birkett
    Assistant Professor, Northwestern University, Feinberg
  • Brian Mustanski
    Director, Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
Highlights
In general, sexual minority youth are at heightened risk for suicidal outcomes, but risk varies based on sex and race/ethnicity.
Among sexual minority youth, Asian and Black youth had lower odds of many adverse outcomes compared to White youth.
American Native/Pacific Islander, Latino, and multiracial youth had higher odds of many adverse outcomes compared to White youth.
Mental Health and Suicidality Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Sexual Minority Youths