Relationship of Sexual Orientation to Substance Use, Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempts, and Other Factors in a Population of Homeless Adolescents
Description:
Explores the relationship of sexual orientation & gender to four sets of factors: (1) family history, (2) incarceration, (3) substance use, & (4) depression & suicide, in a population of homeless adolescents. A sample of homeless adolescents was recruited in Portland, OR, & assessed using semistructured interviews at baseline, three months, & six months. A total of 532 youths (216 females & 316 males) provided data on sexual orientation & other variables. Heterosexual (N = 391) & nonheterosexual youths (N = 141) were compared on all sets of factors, primarily using logistic regressions. Approximately 45% of females identified as lesbian or bisexual, while only 13.9% of males identified as gay or bisexual. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, & "unsure" (GLBU) youths were less likely to have been in foster care or arrested, but were more likely to have spent time in a locked mental health treatment facility. More than 33% of all participants reported use of injection drugs. GLBU youths were more likely to have recently used amphetamines & to have injected drugs, however, gay-bisexual males were less likely to have recently used marijuana. GLBU status was associated with recent measures of depression & suicidal ideation, but not with lifetime measures. Associations of sexual orientation with several lifetime measures were different than with prospective measures, demonstrating the limitations of using lifetime measures rather than recent or prospective measures. This population of homeless adolescents appears to be higher in its high rate of injection drug use & the large proportion of females who identify as lesbian or bisexual than found in other studies. The high rates of depression & suicidal ideation, especially among GLBU youth, are of great concern. 2 Tables, 32 References. Adapted from the source document.
Type of Resource:
Journal
Publication Date:
2001
Volume:
29
Issue:
1
Pages:
31-36
Location:
New York