TY - JOUR
T1 - Alcohol Use and Suicidality by Sexual Orientation Among U.S. Youth, 2009–2017
AU - Phillips, Gregory L.
AU - Turner, Blair C.
AU - Felt, Dylan
AU - Marro, Rachel L.
AU - Wang, Xinzi
AU - Ruprecht, Megan M.
AU - Broschart, Jacob
AU - Beach, Lauren B.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to acknowledge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their role in creating and administering the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The authors declare no competing interests. This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01 AA024409, Principal Investigator: Phillips) as well as a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K12 HL143959; Principal Investigator: Beach). The study sponsors had no role in the creation of this manuscript. GP conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. BT carried out the initial analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. DF drafted the initial manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. RM coordinated and supervised data collection, drafted the initial manuscript, and reviewed and revised the manuscript. XW carried out additional analyses and reviewed and revised the manuscript. JB drafted the initial manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript. MR significantly revised the manuscript. LBB drafted the initial manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. No financial disclosures were reported by the authors of this paper.
Funding Information:
This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01 AA024409, Principal Investigator: Phillips) as well as a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K12 HL143959; Principal Investigator: Beach). The study sponsors had no role in the creation of this manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Journal of Preventive Medicine
PY - 2020/9
Y1 - 2020/9
N2 - Introduction: Alcohol use and suicidality remain serious risks for U.S. youth. Research has established that disparities exist in these outcomes between heterosexual and sexual minority youth. However, research into the associations between alcohol use and suicidality has yet to consider the differential role of sexual orientation. Methods: Using a pooled, diverse sample from the 2009–2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, associations of alcohol use and suicidality by sex and sexual orientation, and changes in these outcomes over time, were investigated. Analyses were conducted in 2019. Results: Suicidality was highest among nonheterosexuals, who ranged from twofold to sevenfold higher odds to report suicidality across all time points, with the most striking disparities among male sexual minority youth. Rates among all students remained stable or increased over time; notable exceptions included a decrease in suicide attempts among bisexual students. Among all students, current alcohol use was associated with elevated levels of suicidality. For female students, the association between drinking and suicidality did not significantly differ by sexual identity; for male students, it was significant regardless of sexual identity and most pronounced among not sure youth. Conclusions: These results emphasize the need for additional research into the relationship between contemporaneous alcohol use and suicidality, with attention to differences based on sex, sexual orientation, and other factors that may impact these relationships. There is a particular need for research to examine the temporal nature of the association such that evidence-informed, high-impact interventions can be developed to improve suicidality outcomes among sexual minority youth.
AB - Introduction: Alcohol use and suicidality remain serious risks for U.S. youth. Research has established that disparities exist in these outcomes between heterosexual and sexual minority youth. However, research into the associations between alcohol use and suicidality has yet to consider the differential role of sexual orientation. Methods: Using a pooled, diverse sample from the 2009–2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, associations of alcohol use and suicidality by sex and sexual orientation, and changes in these outcomes over time, were investigated. Analyses were conducted in 2019. Results: Suicidality was highest among nonheterosexuals, who ranged from twofold to sevenfold higher odds to report suicidality across all time points, with the most striking disparities among male sexual minority youth. Rates among all students remained stable or increased over time; notable exceptions included a decrease in suicide attempts among bisexual students. Among all students, current alcohol use was associated with elevated levels of suicidality. For female students, the association between drinking and suicidality did not significantly differ by sexual identity; for male students, it was significant regardless of sexual identity and most pronounced among not sure youth. Conclusions: These results emphasize the need for additional research into the relationship between contemporaneous alcohol use and suicidality, with attention to differences based on sex, sexual orientation, and other factors that may impact these relationships. There is a particular need for research to examine the temporal nature of the association such that evidence-informed, high-impact interventions can be developed to improve suicidality outcomes among sexual minority youth.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.024
DO - 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.024
M3 - Article
C2 - 32446749
AN - SCOPUS:85085015109
VL - 59
SP - 394
EP - 403
JO - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
JF - American Journal of Preventive Medicine
SN - 0749-3797
IS - 3
ER -
