2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People by State

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024-by-state/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8CZEKLY6qJz70f8-srhsRIwAPhUNj0Oa5WmBLIclUL6ddff-NjGlc5n1WLKe1oBYpca374qBO0p5u8vvUXywSzG94KWw&_hsmi=350344450&utm_content=350344450&utm_source=hs_email A state-by-state breakdown of LGBTQ+ youth mental health Yesterday, the Trevor Project released new state-by-state analysis of its annual national survey of queer young people. The survey, administered to more than 18,000 people ages 13 to 24 last year, is one of few large datasets on LGBTQ+ people and their mental health — it asks the same questions about suicide as the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, so that the results can be compared to the general population of young people. There’s already a dearth of health data on trans people especially. And now that the CDC has said it will stop processing trans identity data, including on the YRBS, research like this from the Trevor Project may become even more critical. The data for last year’s report was collected between September and December 2023. Here are some interesting findings from the latest analysis: LGBTQ+ young people living in southern states had some of the highest rates of wanting, but being unable to access, mental health care. (This was the case for 63% of respondents in South Carolina and 60% in Texas, compared to 50% in California and 44% in New York.) Those in Southern states also suffered from some of the highest rates of discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. (In Arkansas, 66% of respondents, but 54% in Massachusetts.) LGBTQ+ young people living in the Midwest reported some of the highest rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts. (In Ohio, 43% of respondents reported suicidal thoughts and 12% reported attempts. In Rhode Island, it was 37% and 8% respectively.)