Citation

Paul JP, Catania J, Pollack LM, Moskowitz J, Canchola J, Mills T, Binson D, Stall R. Am. J. Public Health 2002; 92(8): 1338-1345.

Affiliation

University of California, San Francisco-Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. jpaul@psg.ucsf.edu

Comment In:

Am J Public Health. 2002 Dec;92(12):1883; author reply 1883-4

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, American Public Health Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12144994

PMCID

PMC1447240

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We examined lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts and psychosocial correlates in a large population-based sample of men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS: A telephone probability sample of US urban MSM (n = 2881) were interviewed between November 1996 and February 1998. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent had made a suicide plan; 12% had attempted suicide (almost half of those 12% were multiple attempters). Most who attempted suicide made their first attempt before age 25. Although prevalence of parasuicide (i.e., attempted suicide) has remained constant across birth cohorts, mean age at initial attempts has declined. CONCLUSIONS: MSM are at elevated risk for suicide attempts, with such risk clustered earlier in life. Some risk factors were specific to being gay or bisexual in a hostile environment.

Language: en