title: The Mental Health of Older LGBT Adults.
abstract: There are approximately one million older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults in the USA. Their mental health issues result from interactions between genetic factors and stress associated with membership in a sexual minority group. Although advancements in acceptance and equal treatment of LGBT individuals have been occurring, sexual minority status remains associated with risks to physical and mental well-being. Older LGBT adults are more likely to have experienced mistreatment and discrimination due to living a majority of their lives prior to recent advancements in acceptance and equal treatment. All LGBT adults experience one common developmental challenge: deciding if, when, and how to reveal to others their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. LGBT individuals have higher rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders and also are at increased risk for certain medical conditions like obesity, breast cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Improved education and training of clinicians, coupled with clinical research efforts, holds the promise of improved overall health and life quality for older LGBT adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Yarns
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.affiliation: Naval Medical Center San Diego, 34800 Bob Wilson Drive, San Diego, CA, 92134, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Meeks
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA, 92103-8631, USA. dsewell@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Sewell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D001727:Bisexuality; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006716:Homosexuality; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D063106:Transgender Persons; D014189:Transsexualism
keywords: Bisexual; Gay; Lesbian; Mental health; Older adults; Transgender