A secondary analysis of data was performed using data collected by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County.  The five school districts in the data set represent urban, suburban, and rural schools: 1 school district was rural; 2 school districts were suburban; and 2 school districts were urban.  Seventy-six (2.7% of total) respondents stated that they had had sex with someone of the same sex.  Ninety-three percent stated that they never had sex with someone of the same sex.

The completed analyses of the data indicate that gay adolescents participate in/or are exposed to high risk behaviors at greater rates than other adolescents. These behaviors included: alcohol, tobacco, and illegal substance use, drinking and driving, carrying guns, running away from home, lack of condom use, running away from home, and attempted suicide. Moreover, gay adolescents experience at much higher rates than other adolescents actual violence, feelings of depression, and lower perceptions of safety and self. These measures included school and community safety, happiness with self, dropping out of school, finding professional help, happiness with relationships, not being able to do things with other adolescents, and wishing self was a different person. These striking findings are a strong indication that innovative strategies need to be developed targeting specifically gay adolescents who clearly have specific psycho-social needs.