Little research to date has explored suicide prevention at the intersection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and LGBTQA+ identities, despite numerous calls from community for action over the last decade.
This presentation will outline factors predicting suicide ideation, intent, and attempt from the first national survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people (14-25 years) across Australia. We will then explore how these findings can be transformed into strengths-based actions through co-design with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people, their families and community, and services, resulting in the Walkern Katatdjin Roadmap. The Roadmap was created through two community forums and individual review with Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people, community members, and service representatives.
Approximately half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ young people who participated in the national survey had attempted suicide in their lifetime, and more than 1 in 5 had attempted suicide in the past 12 months alone. Acceptance from family and community, experiences of racism in romantic relationships, media representation, and pride were associated with suicide ideation, intent or attempt and stand out as possible avenues for intervention. Actions created with community encompass: a) creating visibility, education and safe places in community; b) sustainably embedding inclusive care in all services; c) funding and structural reform that reinforces existing resistance movements; and d) quality evidence that meets Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ community data needs.
This presentation highlights how sexuality and gender diversity within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities shapes experiences of wellbeing and suicide, and the necessity of community-led research.