Same-sex cohabiting elders versus different-sex cohabiting and married elders: Effects of relationship status and sex of partner on economic and health outcomes

Baumle, Amanda K.

doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2013.09.003

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Same-sex female cohabitors report poor mental and physical health and more functional limitations than different-sex married women ( Gonzales & Henning-Smith, 2015 ). A similar pattern occurs when comparing individuals in same-sex couples to those in different-sex couples: men have equivalent health outcomes whereas women’s health is worse, on average, in same-sex than different-sex cohabiting couples ( Baumle, 2014 ). These differentials emerge despite evidence that same-sex couples monitor and encourage healthy behaviors for their partners ( Reczek, 2012 ).…”

Section: Cohabitationmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Research on same-sex cohabiting older adults is slim. Same-sex cohabiting older adults are more socioeconomically advantaged than different-sex cohabitors and appear more comparable to different-sex married older adults ( Baumle, 2014 ; Manning & Brown, 2015 ). Same-sex male cohabitors are largely similar to different-sex married men in terms of physical health but experience more psychological distress.…”

Section: Cohabitationmentioning

confidence: 94%

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Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce in Later Life

Brown

Wright

2017

Innovation in Aging

102

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Older adults are at the forefront of family change as a declining share experiences lifelong marriage and rates of cohabitation and divorce in later life continue to rise. The goal of this article is to review recent scholarship on marriage, cohabitation, and divorce among older adults and identify directions for future research. The varied family experiences characterizing the later life course demonstrate the importance of moving beyond marital status to capture additional dimensions of the marital biography, including transitions, timing, duration, and sequencing. Cohabitation operates as an alternative to marriage for older adults and is increasingly replacing remarriage following divorce or widowhood. The gray divorce rate has doubled in recent decades as older adults abandon marriage in favor of unmarried partnerships or singlehood. The retreat from marriage among older adults raises important questions about the ramifications of family change for health and well-being as well as access to caregivers given that spouses historically have been the primary source of care.

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Section: Cohabitationmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Cohabitationmentioning

confidence: 94%

Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce in Later Life

Brown

Wright

2017

Innovation in Aging

102

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“…There is generally little attention to whether the benefits of same‐sex relationships vary by gender, race, or other sociodemographic categories, although preliminary evidence indicates that they do (Liu et al, ). For example, regarding gender, an analysis of the American Community Surveys found that same‐sex cohabiting women have worse health than same‐sex cohabiting men and different‐sex cohabiting and married couples (Baumle, ).…”

Section: Lgbt Adults In Intimate Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families and health

2017

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Research consistently demonstrates that family relationships are key determinants of health, but most research on health and families focuses on a heterosexual and cisgender context. Sexual and gender identities often are overlooked or erased in family and health research. We present an overview of the current state of research on LGBT families and health, using a life course approach and pointing to the ways that LGBT people's experiences of families occur within a broader social structural context, with implications for their health and the health of their family members. We focus on parenthood, parent-child ties, intimate relationships, and caregiving. We also identify two theoretical obstacles for studies ofLGBT families and health as well as important research areas for moving forward, such as the inclusion of non-binary and queer identities in our studies of family and health. Incorporation of LGBT and other queer families and family forms into our health research interrogates assumptions within family and health research and offers insight into how to move the field forward.

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“…Given the potential for cumulative disadvantages throughout their lifetime, older LGBT adults are more likely to have chronic health conditions than heterosexual peers (Baumle, 2014; Fredriksen-Goldsen et al, 2011). For example, Fredriksen-Goldsen and colleagues found that the total number of lifetime discrimination and victimization experiences (e.g., loss of jobs as a result of discrimination, exposure to physical violence) were associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes (Fredriksen-Goldsen, Kim, Shiu, Goldsen, & Emlet, 2015) as well as greater likelihoods of disabilities and depression in a national sample of older LGBT adults (Fredriksen-Goldsen, Kim, et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Invisible Care: Friend and Partner Care Among Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Adults

Shiu

Muraco

Fredriksen‐Goldsen

2016

Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research

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Objective Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adult caregivers may encounter obstacles in obtaining health and aging services due to discrimination in service and legal systems. The caregiving relationships in LGBT communities also differ from the general population in that friends are providing a large portion of informal care. This article examines how the relational context of caregiving relates to caregiving demands and resources, which in turn, influence perceived stress and depressive symptomatology among older LGBT caregivers. Method Using data from the National Health, Aging, and Sexuality Study: Caring and Aging with Pride, this study examines 451 participants who are providing caregiving to partners and friends. Structural equation modeling was applied to estimate the associations among the caregiver–care recipient relationship and caregiving demands, resources, perceived stress, and depressive symptomatology. Results On average, as compared with those caring for partners, those who provided care to friends reported experiencing lower levels of caregiving demands and lower levels of social support. The lower caregiving demands correlated positively with both lower perceived stress and less severe depressive symptomatology; however, the lower levels of social support were related to higher perceived stress and higher depressive symptomatology. Conclusions Caregiving provided by friends, which has long been under recognized, plays an important role in the LGBT community. Because lower levels of caregiving demands are offset by less social support, LGBT friend-caregivers experience similar levels of perceived stress and depressive symptomatology to those providing care to spouses and partners. Policy and service reforms are needed to better acknowledge the continuum of informal caregiving relationships.

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Same-sex cohabiting elders versus different-sex cohabiting and married elders: Effects of relationship status and sex of partner on economic and health outcomes

Cited by 12 publications

References 40 publications

Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce in Later Life

Marriage, Cohabitation, and Divorce in Later Life

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families and health

Invisible Care: Friend and Partner Care Among Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Adults

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