Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual and gender
minority identities (LGBT+) have higher rates of suicidal ideation
and suicide attempt than their non-LGBT+ peers. However, a key
question remains unanswered: do LGBT+ populations have a higher
rate of death by suicide than their non-LGBT+ peers? Nowhere in
the world are sexual orientation or gender identity collected as
standard elements on death certificates or in death data. Without
this information, prevention and intervention efforts for LGBT+ are
effectively stuck. John Blosnich will provide a brief summary of what we know about
suicide deaths among LGBT+ populations, reasons why current
information about deaths among LGBT+ individuals is limited, and a
description of a new project to train death investigators in the
United States to collect information about LGBT+ status for people
who die by suicide and other violent means.