| Summary: | Suicide is a critical public-health issue that remains the leading cause of
death among young adults aged 15 to 24. In lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and queer (LGBTQ) populations the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions is
significantly higher. The effect of natal sex vs. gender identity has not been
studied enough as yet. In this study the PubMed-database was searched
systematically for articles on the association between gender/sex differences and
suicidality. Included were: meta-analyses, systematic and narrative reviews,
first-hand observational studies and qualitative studies, published prior to 1
January 2021. Twenty-nine publications were found relevant, the majority on
self-harm and suicide attempts and only few on death by suicide. Sexual
(29.68%-lifetime) and gender (46.65%) minorities seem more likely to die by
suicide than heterosexual/cisgender (14.57%) people. At greatest risk are
transgender (56.65%) and bisexual (41.47%) individuals. Most studies reported
natal males to be more affected than natal females. The “gender paradox in
suicide” does not exist among sex and gender minorities (SGMs), but differences
in suicidal behavior exist between the various SGM groups. More research on
suicidal behavior among these groups, especially longitudinal research, is
necessary.
|
|---|