Risk of self-harm twice as high for UK's LGB+ adults

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), individuals identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or another sexual orientation (LGB+) face more than twice the risk of suicide and self-harm compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

The ONS reported that for those aged 16 and over identifying as LGB+ in England and Wales, the suicide risk is approximately 2.2 times greater than for heterosexuals, while the risk of intentional self-harm is 2.5 times higher.

According to ‘The Guardian’, the ONS noted that the suicide risk is “particularly high” among female or Black members of the LGB+ community, while self-harm risk is notably higher for those aged 16 to 24.

Samaritans, a charity organisation, stated that releasing this data is a crucial advancement for suicide prevention, highlighting “a bleak picture that demands action.”

The findings result from the ONS’s analysis, marking the first time they’ve examined variances in self-harm and suicide rates by sexual orientation.

Black LGB+ individuals face a 4.7 times higher risk of suicide compared to their heterosexual peers, a significantly larger increase than among LGB+ individuals of mixed (2.3), Asian (2.2), and white (2.0) ethnicities.

The research identified bisexual individuals within the LGB+ population as having the highest self-harm risk—2.8 times that of their heterosexual peers. For gay or lesbian individuals, the self-harm risk is 2.4 times greater than for heterosexuals.

Among the LGB+ community, women have a self-harm risk 2.8 times higher compared to 1.9 times higher for men.

Suicide rates within the LGB+ population are about double that of heterosexuals. Women in the LGB+ community also face a substantially higher suicide risk (3.1 times greater) compared to men (1.8 times greater).

The ONS linked data on sexual orientation from the 2021 census with NHS hospital records and death registrations for adults in England and Wales from March 2021 to December 2023.

Self-harm figures were based on hospital admissions and A&E visits, while death registrations were utilised for suicide cases.

The age-standardised rate for intentional self-harm among LGB+ adults was 1,508.9 per 100,000 people as opposed to 598.4 per 100,000 for those identifying as straight or heterosexual.

Suicide rates for LGB+ adults were 50.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 23.1 per 100,000 for those identifying as straight or heterosexual.

Jacqui Morrissey, an assistant director of influencing at Samaritans, urged the government to address this inequality to prevent further loss of life. “This data being published for the first time is a hugely important step forward for suicide prevention, yet the full picture remains incomplete.”

Emma Sharland from the ONS health research group highlighted that their analysis identifies particularly high risks of intentional self-harm or suicide within certain groups of the LGB+ community compared to their straight or heterosexual peers, including females, younger adults, and Black individuals.

The ONS study noted it “cannot say” why rates of intentional self-harm and suicide differ for LGB+ individuals compared to heterosexuals, emphasising that it is not possible to determine if sexual orientation is a causal risk factor for these behaviours.