Intersectional inequities in suicide ideation by race, sexual orientation, and gender among U.S. high school students in the pre and post 2020 waves of the YRBSS: An application of random effects intersectional MAIHDA.

Abstract

The U.S. faces a youth mental health crisis. Few studies have examined how the disruptions of 2020 impacted existing mental health inequities. I-MAIHDA (intersectional multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy) is a methodological innovation that provides social epidemiology with a theory-informed and rigorous approach to quantify changing intersectional health inequities. Using 2017-2021 data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, we illustrate the use of logistic I-MAIHDA with random effects to estimate intersectional inequities in suicidal ideation among U.S. high school students by race, sexual orientation, and gender. Before 2020, we found substantial inequities in suicidal ideation prevalence, ranging from 9.8-12.7% among heterosexual boys to over 50% among bisexual Multi-race/Other and White girls. We also found notable changes between the pre-2020 and 2021 waves. Strata at the lowest (heterosexual boys) and highest risk (bisexual girls) showed little change, while middle ranked strata - Black Other/Questioning and lesbian girls, White Other/Questioning boys and girls, and Multi-race/Other gay boys - reported large increases in suicidal ideation. Our findings suggest worsening teen mental health in the 2017-2021 period, particularly among racial and sexual minorities. This study highlights the value of I-MAIHDA and population surveys like YRBSS for understanding changes in intersectional health inequities.