Lesbian, gay, & bisexual older adults: linking internal minority stressors, chronic health conditions, and depression

ABSTRACT

Objectives: This study aims to: (1) test whether the minority stressors disclosure of sexual orientation; and (2) internalized heterosexism are predictive of chronic physical health conditions; and (3) depression; (4) to test direct and indirect relationships between these variables; and (5) whether chronic physical health conditions are further predictive of depression, net of disclosure of sexual orientation and internalized heterosexism.

Methods: Secondary analysis of national, community-based surveys of 2349 lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults aged 50 and older residing in the US utilizing structural equation modeling.

Results: Congruent with minority stress theory, disclosure of sexual orientation is indirectly associated with chronic physical health conditions and depression, mediated by internalized heterosexism with a suppressor effect. Internalized heterosexism is directly associated with chronic physical health conditions and depression, and further indirectly associated with depression mediated by chronic physical health conditions. Finally, chronic physical health conditions have an additional direct relationship with depression, net of other predictor variables.

Conclusion: Minority stressors and chronic physical health conditions independently and collectively predict depression, possibly a synergistic effect. Implications for depression among older sexual minority adults are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual orientation
• depression
• older adults
• minority stress
• structural equation modeling

Acknowledgments

Some research reported in this publication was supported in part by grants from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R01AG026526 and 2R01AG026526-03A1 (Fredriksen-Goldsen, PI). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Aging, the University of Utah, or the University of Washington.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health [award number R01AG026526], [award number 2R01AG026526-03A1].