Introduction
The LGBT youth community has been facing many challenges mostly in terms of discrimination and stereotypes. Studies indicate that the mortality rate among the LGBT youth group ranges from one and a half times to three times the death of non-LGBT youths (Haas et al., 2011). As such, with data revealing that the LGBT youths experience high rates of attempting suicide, there are high chances that the LGBT youths experience high suicidal deaths than their non-LGBT youths. Mostly, the LGBT groups face various challenging circumstances all over starting from the family set up to the general society at large (Ferlatte et al., 2015). These moments of scornful view upon the youths who are addicted to sexual deviance lead them to suffer from stress and depression and end up committing suicide as the society do not appreciate them. Besides, these youths are also prone to drug and substance abuse at an early age as they try to face the hard facts about life. In most countries, the LGBT community suffers from stigmatization and discrimination, and these two are directly linked to the risk factor of committing suicide (Gibbs and Goldbach, 2015). It, therefore, becomes necessary for the government and other volunteering organizations to wake up and assume the responsibility of initiating programs that are meant to diminish the risk factors and more so, in building protective factors. As such, the prime focus of this paper is to stimulate theoretical perspective that will inform on strategizing a rationale for combating the high suicide rates among the LGBT youths and describe practical actions that come with the strategy. Besides, the paper will also focus on presenting ideas for the expected outcomes and demonstrate how an improvement can be achieved through the outlined strategy.
Theoretical perspective
Notwithstanding that many studies have shown that there is an increasing suicidal risk among the homosexual men, less consideration has been paid to the processes that bring the intrinsic disparity with the rest generation. Ferlatte et al. 2015 carried out a study on the Canadian gays, lesbians and bisexual individuals who were at the danger of increased suicide rate. In this study, they applied the syndemic theory to try to explain the exacerbated rates of suicide burden amongst the Canadian LGBTs. Syndemic Theory is a theoretical perspective that analyzes the recurring and mutually supportive epidemics suffered by susceptible people as a result of the consequences of social isolation. The purpose of the study mainly focused on measuring several variables such as anti-gay marginalization and psychological health problems that relate to the idea of increased suicide trials among the gay and bisexual men in Canada. The syndemic theoretical perspective, in this case, revealed that psychological health problems have a strong correlation with the rate of suicide among the LGBT group.
The syndemic perspective is an ideal theory for analyzing suicide rate among the gays and bisexuals as it investigates into the inner attributes of the individuals such as psychological and psychosocial that influences suicide. The theoretical perspective brings out violence being verbal, sexual and physical as well as bullying and discrimination at work as the main catalysts of increased suicide (Arseneault, Bowes, and Shakoor, 2010). The syndemic theory also shows that the idea of suicide and suicide attempts increases with increased rates of psychosocial problems (Gini and Pozzoli, 2009). For example, in Canada, psychosocial health problems such as depression, anxiety and STI’s of the LGBT community in Canada was reported to influence suicide risk by three times in comparison with their heterosexual partners. The study on the Canadian LGBT community reveals syndemic theory as a useful strategy for addressing suicide behavior. The results obtained from the study acts as the basis for providing holistic and urgent solutions to the adamant health problems amongst the LGBT community that cause them to commit suicide. The theory is also useful in helping to reduce the experiences of torture of the LGBT community not only in Canada but also in other parts of the continent where sexually deviant behavior persist.
Syndemic Theory was developed in the mid-1990’s by Merill Singer. The main aim of the development of this theoretical perspective was to describe how health problems occur recurrently and add complicates the health status of an individual to result into a mutually reinforcing cluster of epidemics. These epidemics are the main cause of inequity in the society setting as well as the unfair exercise of power. The syndemic theory is unique from the other theories in the sense that it views the health problems of individuals through the lens of a holistic approach rather than focusing on the outcomes of the multiple health problems emanating from sexual deviance. It focuses on monitoring the synergistic relationship of several health problems and how they impact on communities leading to the degradation of human life.
Over the years, syndemic theory has found a profound place in explaining health problems in LGBT. The theory hypothesizes that the excess suicide-related health problems are a result of psychological problems that LGBTs get in the society as they interact with their heterosexual peers. Besides, Hatzenbuehler (2011) when addressing how social environment influences suicidal rates among the LGBT youth argues that, the social environment plays a significant role for the gay community. For example, results from Oregon suggest that, in supportive environment, attempts to commit suicide were higher among the gay community in supportive environment than those in unsupportive environment. Most lesbian teens are happy at the initial stages through supportive environments where their parents and school understands them (Do, 2017). However, there are more susceptible to committing suicide than their heterosexual friends. Most societies scorns upon the lesbian teens and this contributes to the accelerated rate of suicide amongst the lesbian youths (Do, 2017). For instance, a study on violence experience amongst lesbian teens in seven states and six large urban school districts shows that the LGBT community was severely prone to suicide (Do, 2017). The syndemic theory is, therefore, critical in strategizing on what the community, groups and the nation at large can do to protect the excessive suicide rates amongst the LGBT community.
Specific practical actions and tasks
Little research has been done on the possible prevention mechanisms that can be implemented to reduce the high risk of suicide amongst the LGBT community. One of the practical measures includes carrying out a meta-analysis research that aims at going beyond the anti-bullying programs to include mitigating into the behavior exhibit of the LGBTs (Merrell et al., 2008). As such, this calls for teachers and researchers to study keenly on behavior patterns of students in school early enough to orient them in the right path of acceptable sexual practice (Merrell et al., 2008). Besides, with the high-risk factors experienced by LGBTs, there should be proper control and prevention programs that promote the quality of life and make the world a better living environment for the affected individuals. The mandate of this strategy requires the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s Strategic Direction for the Prevention of Suicidal Behavior to come up with up with strategies that escalate social support, integration, and reduction of social isolation of the LGBT members in the society as the basic step towards preventing suicide and violence. Further, teachers have a responsibility to develop programs that have the capability to discover students at risk of sexual disorientation that further heightens the rate of suicide amongst the LGBT community (Zenere and Lzarus, 2009).
Curbing bullying on the victims of LGBT community should also be taken seriously. As such, the society has a role to play in introducing strategies that prevent suicide amongst the gay and bisexual men as well as lesbians. Such measures should be geared towards supervision, educating the parents on how they can handle their children who are into the LGBT community as well as establishing a school culture that is anti-bullying (Farrington and Ttofi, 2009).
Moreover, there should be a continuation in developing test measures that help in understanding the orientation to sex and gender characteristics that are strongly connected to unconstructive mental health outcomes (Hanns et al., 2011). More so, there should be a comparison of the past and the present history of the LGBT community by suicide commitment and derive suitable strategies that address the risk factors influencing the rate of depression, drug and alcohol abuse that further catalyze suicidal attempts (Berlan et al., 2009). Further, it is also essential to integrate religious practices into the protective and risk factors to help reduce prevailing cases of suicide attempts by the LGBT. The church has the capability to use religious teachings to straighten the crooked ways of sexual orientation among the youths and make them better persons with acceptable moral standards in the society (Gibbs and Goldbach 2015).
Outcomes of the Strategy
One of the various ways in which the strategy may be experienced is regarding cultural competence. Cultural competence is a model that encompasses all set of behavior patterns, feelings, and plans of action that allow a given social setting, agency or profession to operate effectively in cross-cultural situations (Haas, et al., 2011). Many of the human service providers apply the cultural competence model to address issues that cut across race and ethnic minority groups. Basing on the fact that the LGBT youth are a minority dealing with negative social forces, the model can help solve service disparities.
Further, awareness and sensitivity are core focus of the strategy on reducing the risks associated with suicidal attempts by the LGBT. Awareness and sensitivity are achieved through the establishment of effective training programs that allows for friendly investigation and discussion of the various challenges that LGBT members go through (Haas, et al., 2011). Sensitization on the dangers is then done by the evidence given. During this interrogative session, individuals make presumptions of what the LGBT members go through like stress, depression, and anxiety and decide not to engage in sexual deviancy.
Family connectedness is also shown to be a significant outcome for reducing suicide risks among the LGBT youth (Bowes et al., 2009). The ability of the youth to openly share talks with their parents on sexual orientation is fruitful in preventing them from committing suicide as they experience the caring nature of their parents (Reitman and Pataki 2015). Further, the use of cultural competency model approach has been useful in reducing suicidal ideation and suicides attempts. The prevention methods for LGBT should begin at an early age by encouraging the members to disclose their identities to the parents who provide direct interventions preventing them from committing suicide.
Prevention of suicidal incidences among the LGBT community involves choosing of strategic avenues such as schools, mental health, and social services centers. Notably, the school provides substantial context for the social, intellectual, emotional, and sexual development of young people. Despite the fact that many students feel unsafe while in school, it serves as a crucial avenue for providing the best prevention guidelines against LGBT suicide attempts. The school encompasses individuals from all races and ethnic groups, and it teaches virtues of empathy and understanding to one another thereby reducing suicide risks and attempts to the LGBT community. The health institutions provide the necessary supportive services that have the capacity to heal the mental status of individuals suffering from the many challenges of LGBT in the society such as violence and isolation. The health providers use their skills and expertise to answer the needs of the LGBT adolescents.
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