Health and well being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people aged 50 years and over

Abstract

Objectives The aim of the present study was to examine the health and well being of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, the health issues that concern them, the services they use and challenges accessing services. Methods This study comprised a survey of the health and well being of 312 LGBTI people aged 50 years and over in New South Wales. The survey included the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) measure of health-related quality of life, the Kessler 10 (K10) measure of psychological distress, and the three-item Loneliness Scale. Results Higher levels of psychological distress, lower mental health and greater loneliness were found among this sample than is typically found in the general population. Mental health was lower among carers and those not in a relationship, while psychological distress was greater among those living alone and those experiencing higher rates of loneliness. The most commonly accessed health service was a general practitioner (GP), with most respondents reporting that they were open about their sexuality to their GP and that they had a regular GP. Some reported difficulties accessing health services because of their gender or sexual diversity. Conclusions Although many older LGBTI people are well, both physically and mentally, they do appear to face increased risk of certain health issues compared with the general population. What is known about the topic? Overseas research indicates that older LGBTI people may be at greater risk of certain physical and mental health conditions than the general population. What does this paper add? This paper provides Australian data, using well-validated instruments, on the health and well being of older LGBTI people. It provides evidence of the health issues that older LGBTI people are most concerned about and the barriers they face in accessing services. What are the implications for practitioners? It is important for health practitioners to be aware that older LGBTI people appear to be at increased risk of certain physical and mental health issues, such as loneliness and psychological distress. Providing opportunities for clients to identify their gender or sexual diversity may assist in monitoring risk factors and enable referral to promote healthy aging.

Health, well‐being, and social support in older Australian lesbian and gay care‐givers

“…There were no differences between care‐givers and non‐caregivers on these variables among the men or women after adjusting for socio‐demographic variables. These results are somewhat inconsistent with previous research, which has found that lesbian and gay care‐givers experience poorer mental health than non‐caregivers (Fredriksen‐Goldsen et al, ; Hughes, ), although not all studies making this comparison have found such differences (Grossman et al, ). This may be due to the fact that these previous studies adjusted for fewer (Fredriksen‐Goldsen et al, ) or no socio‐demographic variables (Hughes, ).…”

“…These results are somewhat inconsistent with previous research, which has found that lesbian and gay care-givers experience poorer mental health than non-caregivers Hughes, 2017), although not all studies making this comparison have found such differences (Grossman et al, 2007). This may be due to the fact that these previous studies adjusted for fewer or no socio-demographic variables (Hughes, 2017 et al, 2016). It may therefore be possible that this particular sample had more participants for whom potential benefits of being a care-giver offset some of the costs.…”

“…Research on care‐givers more generally indicates that they can experience negative effects from care‐giving, likely due to the challenges and burdens of the role (Adelman, Tmanova, Delgado, Dion, & Lachs, ; Pinquart & Sörensen, ; Smith, Williamson, Miller, & Schulz, ). Research has also suggested that among older lesbian women and gay men, care‐givers experience poorer mental and physical health than non‐caregivers (Fredriksen‐Goldsen et al, ; Hughes, ).…”

“…has also suggested that among older lesbian women and gay men, care-givers experience poorer mental and physical health than noncaregivers Hughes, 2017).…”

“…While all of the above factors could potentially contribute to poorer health and well-being among lesbian and gay care-givers, it may also be important to consider whether lesbian and gay care-givers are caring for another LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex) person, even when that person is not a partner. To our knowledge, quantitative studies have not investigated differences between caring for someone who is LGBTI and someone who is not among lesbian and gay care-givers (Cantor et al, 2004;Croghan et al, 2014;Fredriksen, 1999;Fredriksen-Goldsen et al, 2011, 2009Grossman et al, 2007;Hughes, 2017;Metlife Mature Market Institute, 2010;Shippy, 2007;Shiu et al, 2016). However, concerns and experiences about stigma and discrimination may be compounded if the care-receiver is also LGBTI, as both the care-giver and care-receiver may face these issues.…”