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Sexual Orientation–Based Depression and Suicidality Health Disparities: The Protective Role of School‐Based Health Centers
Author(s) -
Zhang Lei,
Finan Laura J.,
Bersamin Melina,
Fisher Deborah A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/jora.12454
Subject(s) - suicidal ideation , mental health , sexual orientation , depression (economics) , psychology , clinical psychology , suicide prevention , depressive symptoms , medicine , psychiatry , poison control , environmental health , anxiety , social psychology , economics , macroeconomics
This study's purpose was to examine whether school‐based health centers ( SBHC s) support mental health indicators among sexual minority youth ( SMY ). Data came from the 2015 Oregon Healthy Teens Survey with 13,608 11th graders in 137 public high schools in Oregon. Regression results revealed significant SBHC by SMY status interactions indicating relative reductions in likelihood of depressive episodes (30%), suicidal ideation (34%), and suicide attempts (43%) among SMY in schools with SBHC s. SMY students in SBHC schools reported lower likelihood of a past‐year depressive episode, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt versus those attending non‐ SBHC schools. Conversely, no differences in these outcomes were observed for non‐ SMY by SBHC status. SBHC s may help reduce mental health disparities among SMY , a marginalized, underserved population.