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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce suicidal thoughts in lesbian, gay, or bisexual high school students — LGBT‑06 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), CDC/NCCDPHP

Baseline: 57.8 percent of sexual minority students in grades 9 through 12 reported that they experienced suicidal ideation in the past 12 months in 2021

Target: 52.3 percent

Numerator
Number of sexual minority (lesbian, gay, or bisexual) high-school students in grades 9 through 12 who reported that they seriously considered attempting suicide, made a plan, or attempted suicide during the past 12 months.
Denominator
Number of sexual minority (lesbian, gay, or bisexual) students in grades 9 through 12.
Target-setting method
Minimal statistical significance
Target-setting method details
Minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline.
Target-setting method justification
Trend data were not available for this objective. The standard error was used to calculate a target based on minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline. This method was used because it was a statistically significant improvement from the baseline.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System:

Numerator:
During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide? During the past 12 months, did you make a plan about how you would attempt suicide? During the past 12 months, how many times did you actually attempt suicide?

Methodology notes

YRBS has been asking about youth sexual identity since 1997. YRBS uses the term sexual minority to include those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or unsure; and those whose sexual behavior includes same-sex contacts. However, for statistical reporting, sexual identity and sexual behavior are reported separately. This objective only tracks lesbian, gay, and bisexual identity

.

History

Revision History
Revised. 

In 2024, the baseline was revised from 58.5 percent in 2017 to 57.8 percent in 2021, due to a change in the response options for the sexual orientation question on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The target was revised from 52.1 percent to 52.3 percent using the original target-setting method, minimal statistical significance.