Disparities in health and disability among older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships

Gilbert Gonzales; Carrie E Henning-Smith

doi:10.1177/0898264314551332

Disparities in health and disability among older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships

Gilbert Gonzales, Carrie E Henning-Smith

Health Policy and Management

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: The present study compared indicators of impaired health and disability between older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships and their peers in opposite-sex cohabiting relationships. Method: Data were obtained on men (n = 698) and women (n = 630) aged 50 years and older and in self-reported same-sex relationships from the National Health Interview Survey. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to estimate differences in physical health, mental health, and disability status. Results: Compared with their peers in married opposite-sex relationships, older men in same-sex relationships exhibited greater odds of psychological distress, and older women in same-sex relationships experienced elevated odds of poor/fair health, needing help with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, functional limitations, and psychological distress. Discussion: This study adds to the limited information on health and disability among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. As this population grows, gerontologists must develop a better understanding of the unique issues and challenges facing them and their families.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	432-453
Number of pages	22
Journal	Journal of aging and health
Volume	27
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264314551332
State	Published - Apr 20 2015

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded in part by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Health Policy & Management (Grant 65902). The authors are also thankful for support from the Minnesota Population Center (5R24HD041023), funded through grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2014.

Keywords

and bisexual (LGB)
discrimination
gay
lesbian
minority health
stigma

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Publisher link

10.1177/0898264314551332

Find It

Find It at U of M Libraries

Cite this

@article{d5605beeae6742988c8cabfdbd772cac,

title = "Disparities in health and disability among older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships",

abstract = "Objective: The present study compared indicators of impaired health and disability between older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships and their peers in opposite-sex cohabiting relationships. Method: Data were obtained on men (n = 698) and women (n = 630) aged 50 years and older and in self-reported same-sex relationships from the National Health Interview Survey. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to estimate differences in physical health, mental health, and disability status. Results: Compared with their peers in married opposite-sex relationships, older men in same-sex relationships exhibited greater odds of psychological distress, and older women in same-sex relationships experienced elevated odds of poor/fair health, needing help with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, functional limitations, and psychological distress. Discussion: This study adds to the limited information on health and disability among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. As this population grows, gerontologists must develop a better understanding of the unique issues and challenges facing them and their families.",

keywords = "and bisexual (LGB), discrimination, gay, lesbian, minority health, stigma",

author = "Gilbert Gonzales and Henning-Smith, {Carrie E}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded in part by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Health Policy & Management (Grant 65902). The authors are also thankful for support from the Minnesota Population Center (5R24HD041023), funded through grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2014.",

year = "2015",

month = apr,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1177/0898264314551332",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "27",

pages = "432--453",

journal = "Journal of aging and health",

issn = "0898-2643",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Disparities in health and disability among older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships

AU - Gonzales, Gilbert

AU - Henning-Smith, Carrie E

N1 - Funding Information: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded in part by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Health Policy & Management (Grant 65902). The authors are also thankful for support from the Minnesota Population Center (5R24HD041023), funded through grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2014.

PY - 2015/4/20

Y1 - 2015/4/20

N2 - Objective: The present study compared indicators of impaired health and disability between older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships and their peers in opposite-sex cohabiting relationships. Method: Data were obtained on men (n = 698) and women (n = 630) aged 50 years and older and in self-reported same-sex relationships from the National Health Interview Survey. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to estimate differences in physical health, mental health, and disability status. Results: Compared with their peers in married opposite-sex relationships, older men in same-sex relationships exhibited greater odds of psychological distress, and older women in same-sex relationships experienced elevated odds of poor/fair health, needing help with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, functional limitations, and psychological distress. Discussion: This study adds to the limited information on health and disability among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. As this population grows, gerontologists must develop a better understanding of the unique issues and challenges facing them and their families.

AB - Objective: The present study compared indicators of impaired health and disability between older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships and their peers in opposite-sex cohabiting relationships. Method: Data were obtained on men (n = 698) and women (n = 630) aged 50 years and older and in self-reported same-sex relationships from the National Health Interview Survey. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to estimate differences in physical health, mental health, and disability status. Results: Compared with their peers in married opposite-sex relationships, older men in same-sex relationships exhibited greater odds of psychological distress, and older women in same-sex relationships experienced elevated odds of poor/fair health, needing help with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, functional limitations, and psychological distress. Discussion: This study adds to the limited information on health and disability among older lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. As this population grows, gerontologists must develop a better understanding of the unique issues and challenges facing them and their families.

KW - and bisexual (LGB)

KW - discrimination

KW - gay

KW - lesbian

KW - minority health

KW - stigma

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84924977143&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84924977143&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/0898264314551332

DO - 10.1177/0898264314551332

M3 - Article

C2 - 25253727

AN - SCOPUS:84924977143

SN - 0898-2643

VL - 27

SP - 432

EP - 453

JO - Journal of aging and health

JF - Journal of aging and health

IS - 3

ER -

Disparities in health and disability among older adults in same-sex cohabiting relationships

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Publisher link

Find It

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this