TY - JOUR

T1 - Major risk factors for sexual minority young people's mental and physical health

T2 - findings from a county-wide school-based health needs assessment

AU - Clarke, A

AU - Beenstock, J

AU - Lukacs, J N

AU - Turner, L

AU - Limmer, M

N1 - This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Health following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version A Clarke, J Beenstock, J N Lukacs, L Turner, M Limmer, Major risk factors for sexual minority young people’s mental and physical health: findings from a county-wide school-based health needs assessment, Journal of Public Health, Volume 41, Issue 3, September 2019, Pages e274–e282, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy167 is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/41/3/e274/5106594

PY - 2019/9/1

Y1 - 2019/9/1

N2 - Background: Childhood health is an important adult health predictor. Sexual orientation is increasingly recognized as influential on children and young people's (CYP) mental and physical health.Methods: Data came from a cross-sectional survey of year 9 children attending schools in two local authorities in the north-west of England, including mental and physical health indicators, and demographic characteristics including sexual orientation. The sample of 8058 represented 67.8% of the eligible population. Data were analysed by sexual orientation, sexual majority or sexual minority.Results: Children reporting their sexual orientation as sexual minority reported worse mental and physical health outcomes and behaviours than sexual majority peers; had higher odds of being lonely (odds ratios (OR) = 8.24, 95% C.I.: 6.56-10.37), having self-harmed (OR = 7.28, 95% C.I.: 5.78-9.15), being bullied (OR = 4.76, 95% C.I.: 3.74-6.05) or perceiving themselves as overweight (OR = 2.40, 95% C.I.: 1.89-3.06).Conclusions: It is important to identify and support children in a sexual minority. Research is required to understand differences between children within sexual minorities and the impact on outcomes and rights. Health and social policy and services, should respond to the vulnerabilities of sexual minority CYP.

AB - Background: Childhood health is an important adult health predictor. Sexual orientation is increasingly recognized as influential on children and young people's (CYP) mental and physical health.Methods: Data came from a cross-sectional survey of year 9 children attending schools in two local authorities in the north-west of England, including mental and physical health indicators, and demographic characteristics including sexual orientation. The sample of 8058 represented 67.8% of the eligible population. Data were analysed by sexual orientation, sexual majority or sexual minority.Results: Children reporting their sexual orientation as sexual minority reported worse mental and physical health outcomes and behaviours than sexual majority peers; had higher odds of being lonely (odds ratios (OR) = 8.24, 95% C.I.: 6.56-10.37), having self-harmed (OR = 7.28, 95% C.I.: 5.78-9.15), being bullied (OR = 4.76, 95% C.I.: 3.74-6.05) or perceiving themselves as overweight (OR = 2.40, 95% C.I.: 1.89-3.06).Conclusions: It is important to identify and support children in a sexual minority. Research is required to understand differences between children within sexual minorities and the impact on outcomes and rights. Health and social policy and services, should respond to the vulnerabilities of sexual minority CYP.

KW - educational settings

KW - public health

KW - young people

U2 - 10.1093/pubmed/fdy167

DO - 10.1093/pubmed/fdy167

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30252096

VL - 41

SP - e274-e282

JO - Journal of Public Health

JF - Journal of Public Health

SN - 1741-3842

IS - 3

ER -