Associations between Korean Adolescents’ Sexual Orientation and Suicidal Ideation, Plans, Attempts, and Medically Serious Attempts
Abstract
Background: Despite growing interest in the public health of sexual minority, youth around the world due to the high rates of suicidal ideation and attempts in this population, few studies on the sexual orientation of Korean adolescents have been conducted. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between the sexual orientation of Korean adolescents and their suicide-related behavior.
Methods: Raw data from the tenth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The sample consisted of 3603 adolescents who provided selected demographic variables and reported on their experience of sexual intercourse with the same or the opposite sex, along with lifestyle and suicide-related behaviors.
Results: Rates of suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and medically serious attempts were higher in both homosexual and bisexual than heterosexual groups. Suicidal ideation (odds ratio 95% confidence interval: 1.09–2.08), suicidal plans (odds ratio 95% confidence interval: 1.01–2.09), and suicide attempts (odds ratio 95% confidence interval: 1.28–2.88) had the strongest associations with homosexuality after multivariate adjustment. In contrast, bisexuality was only significantly associated with suicidal attempts (odds ratio 95% confidence interval: 1.01–2.97) after multivariate adjustment.
Conclusion: Effective suicide prevention interventions are required for homosexual and bisexual adolescents, in the form of targeted programs to improve their mental health status and ability to cope with stress.
Gates GJ (2011). How many people are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender? UCLA: The Williams Institute.
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/09h684x2
Coulter RW, Kenst KS, Bowen DJ, Scout (2014). Research funded by the National Institutes of Health on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations. Am J Public Health, 104(2): e105-e112.
Kang BC (2011). The effects of perceived social stigma on the life satisfaction of sexual minorities. Korean J Soc Welf Stud, 42(2): 381-417.
Lee MH, Park JY, Kim SS (2014). LGBTQI health research in South Korea : a systematic review. Health Soc Sic, 36:43-76.
World Values Survey Association (2009). World Values Survey 2005 official data file v. 20090901. http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org
Emmerink PM, Vanwesenbeeck I, van den Eijnden RJ, Ter Bogt TF (2016). Psychosexual correlates of sexual double standard endorsement in adolescent sexuality. J Sex Res, 53(3): 286–297.
Kang BC, Ha KH (2012). A qualitative study on sexual minority youths' formation processes of sexual identity. Korean J Youth Stud, 19(2): 99-128.
Yoon JH, So WY (2013). Differences in lifestyles including physical activity according to sexual orientation among Korean adolescents. Iran J Public Health, 42(12): 1347-1353.
Cochran SD, Mays VM (2007). Physical health complaints among lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and homosexually experienced heterosexual individuals: results from the California quality of life survey. Am J Public Health, 97(11): 2048-2055.
Diamant AL, Wold C, Spritzer K, Gelberg L (2000). Health behaviors, health status, and access to and use of health care : a population-based study of lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual women. Arch Fam Med, 9(10): 1043-51.
Harrison TW (2003). Adolescent homosexuality and concerns regarding disclosure. J Sch Health, 73(3):107-12.
Ryan C, Huebner D, Diaz RM, Sanchez J (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in White and Latino lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics, 123(1): 346-52.
Gruskin EP, Greenwood GL, Matevia M, Pollack LM, Bye LL (2007). Disparities in smoking between the lesbian, gay, and bisexual population and the general population in California. Am J Public Health, 97(8): 1496-502.
Gruskin EP, Gordon N (2006). Gay/lesbian sexual orientation increases risk for cigarette smoking and heavy drinking among members of a large Northern California health plan. BMC Public Health, 6: 241.
Almeida J, Johnson RM, Corliss HL, Molnar BE, Azrael D (2009). Emotional distress among LGBT Youth: the influence of perceived discrimination based on sexual orientation. J Youth Adolesc, 38(7): 1001-1014.
Kosciw JG, Greytak EA, Bartkiewicz MJ, Boesen MJ, & Palmer NA. (2012). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools. Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). 121 West 27th Street Suite 804, New York, NY 10001.
Russell ST, Joyner K (2001). Adolescent sexual orientation and suicide risk: evidence from a national study. Am J Public Health, 91(8): 1276-1281.
Hatzenbuehler ML (2011). The social environment and suicide attempts in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Pediatrics, 127(5): 896-903.
Kang BC, Kim JH (2006). A Study of lives of sexual minority youths. National Youth Policy Institute. 1-159.
Needham BL, & Austin EL. (2010). Sexual orientation, parental support, and health during the transition to young adulthood. J Youth and Adolesc, 39(10):189-98.
D’augelli AR (2002). Mental health problems among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths ages 14 to 21. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatr, 7(3): 433-56.
Rankin SR (2005). Campus climates for sexual minorities. New Dir Stud Serv, 111: 17-23.
Reason RD, Rankin SR (2006). College students' experiences and perceptions of harassment on campus: an exploration of gender differences. Coll Stud Aff J, 26(1): 7-29.
Simone MJ, Appelbaum JS (2011). Addressing the needs of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adults. Clin Geriatr, 19(2): 38-45.
Committee on Lesibian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunites: Board on the Health of Selection Population; Institute of Medicine (2011). The health of lesibian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people: building a foundation for better understanding. Washington, DC. Institute of Medicine. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13128
Meyer IH (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychol Bull, 129(5): 674–697.
Mustanski BS, Garofalo R, Emerson EM (2010). Mental health disorders, psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths. Am J Public Health, 100 (12): 2426-32.
Bagley C, Tremblay P (2000). Elevated rates of suicidal behavior in gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth. Crisis, 21(3): 111-7.
Johnson RB, Oxendine S, Taub DJ, Robertson J (2013). Suicide prevention for LGBT students. New Dir Stud Serv, 2013(141): 55-69.
Stone DM, Luo F, Ouyang L, Lippy C, Hertz MF, Crosby AE (2014). Sexual orientation and suicide ideation, plans, attempts, and medically serious attempts: evidence from local Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, 2001-2009. Am J Public Health, 104(2): 262-271.
Harry J (1983). Parasuicide, gender, and gender deviance. J Health Soc Behav, 24(4): 350-61.
Hetrick ES, Martin AD (1987). Developmental issues and their resolution for gay and lesbian adolescents. J Homosex, 14(1-2): 25-43.
Robin L, Brener ND, Donahue SF, Hack T, Hale K, Goodenow C (2002). Associations between health risk behaviors and opposite, same, and both-sex sexual partners in representative samples of Vermont and Massachusetts high school students. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 156(4): 349-55.
Wichstrom L, Hegna K (2003). Sexual orientation and suicide attempt: a longitudinal study of the general Norwegian adolescent population. J Abnorm Psychol, 112(1): 144-51.
Zhao Y, Montoro R, Igartua K, Thombs BD (2010). Suicidal ideation and attempt among adolescents reporting "Unsure" sexual identity or heterosexual identity plus same-sex attraction or behavior: forgotten groups? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 49(2): 104-113.
Horesh N, Levi Y, Apter A (2012). Medically serious versus non-serious suicide attempts: relationships of lethality and intent to clinical and interpersonal characteristics. J Affect Disord, 136(3): 286-93.
Lee Y, Kwon B, Lee D (2012). The Relationships among Homosexual Experiences, Sexual Attitude, Sexual Homophobic, and Depression in Adolescents. Korean J Rehabil Psychol, 19:129-147.
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). The Tenth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Centers for Disease Con-trol and Prevention.
Association AP (2008). Answers to your questions: For a better understanding of sexual orientation and homosexuality. Washington, DC.
Case P, Bryn Austin S, Hunter DJ, Manson JE, Malspeis S, Willett WC, Spiegelman D (2004). Sexual orientation, health risk factors, and physical functioning in the Nurses' Health Study II. J Womens Health (Larchmt), 13(9):1033-47.
Marshal MP, Dermody SS, Shultz ML, Sucato GS, Stepp SD, Chung T, Burton CM, Markovic N, Hipwell AE (2013). Mental health and substance use disparities among urban adolescent lesbian and bisexual girls. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 19(5): 271-9.
Mertens JR, Weisner C, Ray GT, Fireman B, Walsh K (2005). Hazardous drinkers and drug users in HMO primary care: prevalence, medical conditions, and costs. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 29(6): 989-98.
King M, Semlyen J, Tai SS, Killaspy H, Osborn D, Popelyuk D, Nazareth I (2008). A systematic review of mental disorder, suicide, and deliberate self harm in lesbian, gay and bisexual people. BMC Psychiatry, 8: 70.
Chingusai KGMsHRG (2014). Key Results South Korean LGBTI Community Social Needs Assessment Survey. http://koreabridge.net/post/reading-list-key-results-south-korean-lgbti-community-social-needs-assessment-survey-kimchi-que
Korean Statistical Information Sevice (2012). Suicide rates: aged from 15 to 19 years in Korea. Korea Statistics. http://kosis.kr/
American Psychiatric Association (2003). Practice guideline for the assessment and treatment of patients with suicidal behaviors. Am J Psychiatry, 160 (11 Suppl): 1-60.
Moscicki EK (1995). Epidemiology of suicidal-behavior. Suicide Life Threat Behav, 25(1): 22-35.
Silenzio VMB, Pena JB, Duberstein PR, Cerel J, Knox KL (2007). Sexual orientation and risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults. Am J Public Health, 97(11): 2017-2019.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 46 No 4 (2017) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Adolescents Bisexual Gay Heterosexual Homosexual Suicide Korea | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
