CHRONIC LONELINESS AMONG LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL OLDER ADULTS: IMPACT OF EARLY-LIFE AND CURRENT MARGINALIZATION

摘要

Compared to their heterosexual peers, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) older adults are at increased risk for poor mental well-being, including loneliness. Research suggests that this disparity is due to societal stigma and marginalization of sexual minorities. Most studies of LGB loneliness have examined overt forms of discrimination only, such as verbal harassment, and during one time period only -- usually the past twelve months. The current study examined the separate effects of self-perceived harassment and microaggressions during both early life and the past 12 months. The study also focused on chronic as opposed to transient loneliness, given its more negative impact on well-being. Online survey respondents were 1,165 LGB adults aged 50+ from 38 countries. Controlling for sociodemographic factors, results of logistic regression analysis indicated that past-year harassment is strongly associated with chronic loneliness (adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.09, 3.55) as are microaggressions (adjusted OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.26). Neither form of early-life marginalization is significantly associated with current loneliness. While results suggest that older adults might be able to overcome the effects of early-life marginalization as they pertain to feelings of social connection, current experiences of marginalization continue to have a negative impact.