Sexual orientation and health risks among RI high school students.

METHODOLOGY Every two years, RI high school students participate in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The YRBS is a sample survey examining the major causes of disease and injury morbidity and mortality. The YRBS asks the following question: “Which of the following best describes you? 1) heterosexual; 2) lesbian or gay; 3) bisexual, or 4) not sure.” Student responses are parsed into two categories, those indicating either #1 (heterosexual), or #s 2 or 3 (lesbian, gay or bisexual). Fourteen risk measures are examined, relating to mental health, violence, tobacco, drugs and alcohol, and sexual activity. Each measure is a negative indicator, so lower values are preferred. As the YRBS is a sample survey, two years of data (2011 and 2013) are combined to yield samples of sufficient size (>100) to be statistically representative of the LGB cohort. All the differences in values presented here (between LGB and heterosexual students) are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level.