Giving Compass' Take:
- Recent research shows that 81% of LGBTQ+ youth fatalities in a six-year study were due to suicide, underscoring the urgent need for improved LGBTQ+ youth mental health support.
- What actions can donors and funders take to improve mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth?
- Learn more about key issues in health and how you can help.
- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits focused on health in your area.
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Researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital analyzed six years of multistate child death review data from the United States and found that 81% of sexual and gender diverse youth in the dataset died by suicide, despite many receiving current or prior mental health services, underscoring the urgent need for LGBTQ+ youth mental health support.
In a study published on Nov. 1, in a special issue of Pediatrics called "Insights from Fatality Reviews: Informing Pediatric Practice, Policy, and Research," researchers used six years of multistate data from the National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System to identify deaths among sexual and gender diverse youth—identified in the dataset as not heterosexual, not cisgender, or both—and compared their characteristics to a matched sample of youth from these same data who were not known to be sexual and gender diverse.
The study team identified 176 fatalities among sexual and gender diverse youth in the dataset, highlighting the need for improved LGBTQ+ youth mental health support. Decedents' average age was 15.3 years. A greater proportion of deaths were attributed to suicide among sexual and gender diverse youth (81%) compared to non-sexual and gender diverse youth (54%).
"Suicide is a leading cause of death among teenagers, and sexual and gender diverse teens may experience discrimination, rejection, and other stressors that increase their risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It is crucial that mental health services for these teens recognize and address their specific needs," said study senior author Nichole Michaels, Ph.D., principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health at The Ohio State University.
"This study examines the circumstances of fatalities among sexual and gender diverse youth so we can develop better interventions to prevent future injuries and deaths."
Notably, nearly 70% of sexual and gender diverse youth received mental health services during their lifetime, compared to 50% of non-sexual and gender diverse youth in the dataset. A significantly greater percentage of sexual and gender diverse youth were currently receiving mental health services or had been seen in an emergency department for mental health care within the past 12 months, compared to non-sexual and gender diverse youth (49% vs. 31% and 23% vs. 10%, respectively).
Read the full article about LGBTQ+ youth mental health support at Medical Xpress.