Prevalence and Associations of Suicidal Thoughts and Suicide Attempts by Sexual Orientation Among Students in...

Research indicates that non-heterosexual students face a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared to heterosexual peers. However, differences in suicidal behavior between sexual orientation groups among students in Lithuania remain underexplored.

Data were collected via an online survey of students from 17 higher education institutions in Lithuania. Participants answered sociodemographic questions, reported suicidal thoughts and attempts at various time periods, and completed the PHQ-4. Prevalence was calculated for the full sample and sexual orientation groups. Logistic regression examined associations between suicidal behavior and sexual orientation, controlling for confounding variables.

The full sample included 2,012 participants (ages 18-29, M = 21.62, SD = 2.35), of whom 13.5% identified as bisexual and 4.4% as lesbian/gay. Suicidal thoughts were reported by 40.7%-63.6% of heterosexual, 53.4%-76.1% of lesbian/gay students, and 66.5%-89.7% of bisexual students. Suicide attempts were reported by 1.0%-15.0% of heterosexual, 2.3%-20.5% of lesbian/gay, and 4.1%-25.8% of bisexual students. Lesbian/gay students had higher odds of suicidal behavior compared to heterosexual students (AOR = 1.710, 95% CI [1.017, 2.875]), while bisexuals exhibited even higher odds (AOR 1.710-4.197, 95% CI [1.242, 6.047]). Bisexuals also showed higher odds compared to lesbian/gay students (AOR 2.529-2.626, 95% CI [1.307, 4.895]).

A higher proportion of non-heterosexual students in Lithuania report suicidal thoughts and attempts compared to heterosexual counterparts. The findings further underscore a relationship between sexual orientation and suicidal behavior, with bisexual students exhibiting the highest vulnerability.