Aging LGB adults more likely to suffer chronic disease, mental distress
March 30th, 2011 - 1:38 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 30 (ANI): A new study from UCLA Center for Health Policy Research has found that members of aging lesbian, gay and bisexual population are more likely to suffer from certain chronic conditions, even as they wrestle with the challenges of living alone in far higher numbers than the heterosexual population.
Half of all gay and bisexual adult men in California between the ages of 50 and 70 are living alone, compared with 13.4 percent of heterosexual men in the same age group. And although older California lesbians and bisexual women are more likely to live with a partner or a family member than their male counterparts, more than one in four live alone, compared with one in five heterosexual women.
A lack of immediate family support may impact aging LGB adults’ ability to confront statistically higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, poor mental health, physical disability and self-assessed fair or poor health, compared with demographically similar aging heterosexual adults.
The study, which draws upon three cycles of data from the biennial California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), underscores the importance of considering these unique needs and chronic health conditions in providing health care and social services to the estimated 170,000 self-identified aging LGB adults in California - a population that will double in size over the next 20 years. (ANI)
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Tags: adult men, bisexual women, california health, chis, chronic conditions, chronic disease, chronic health conditions, family member, health interview survey, health policy research, heterosexual men, heterosexual population, heterosexual women, immediate family, male counterparts, mental distress, physical disability, poor health, poor mental health, ucla center