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Asian/Pacific Islander Adolescent Sexual Orientation and Suicide Risk in Guam

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Asian/Pacific Islander Adolescent Sexual Orientation and Suicide Risk in Guam.

The following exercise involves information from the July 2004 AJPH article,

The authors performed both simple and multiple logistic regressions to estimate the association between having thoughts of suicide ("Suicide Ideation") and adolescents' self-described sexual orientation. The authors also performed simple and multiple logistic regressions to estimate the association between attempting suicide and sexual orientation. All regressions were run separately for boys and girls. The results of the regressions are given in table 2, shown on the next page. The predictor "same sex" is described by the authors by:

"The key independent variable for the analysis was sexual orientation. This measure was coded 1 for gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents (heterosexual, not sure and don't know responses were coded as 0). ...... Rates of reporting same sex orientation were 3.5% for both boys and girls"

"Model 1" refers to simple logistic regression analyses, and "Model 2" refers to multiple logistic regression analyses.

a) Interpret the estimated odds ratio and 95% CI for odds ratio associated with the predictor "same sex" in "Model 1" for boys, with outcome "Suicide Ideation".
b) Do the results given in Table 1 allow you to investigate whether the suicide ideation/same-sex association is confounded by subject's race, use of alcohol, sense of hopelessness and involvement in a physically abusive relationship for both boys and girls? If so, how could you do so?
c) Do you think it was necessary that the authors report odds ratios out to three decimal places? Why or why not?

d) For whom in the sample (boys or girls) does same-sex orientation appear to be riskier in terms of attempting suicide? Explain your answer.
e) Is enough information given in table 1 to ascertain whether sex modifies the association between same-sex orientation and risk of attempted suicide?