Disability among Older Adults in Same-Sex Relationships

Gilbert Gonzales, University of Minnesota
Carrie Henning-Smith, University of Minnesota

Health and disability in later life for the lesbian, gay, and bisexual population is an understudied subject. Using data on older adults in same-sex relationships from the American Community Survey, logistic regression models estimated differences in disability with six self-reported measures of physical, mental, and communication impairment. Older adults in same-sex relationships reported significantly greater odds of disability compared to married adults in opposite-sex relationships. These disparities were especially true for women in same-sex relationships or unmarried opposite-sex relationships, who exhibited increased odds of all types of disability. Although adults in same-sex relationships experience higher rates and odds of disability in later life, they are less likely to have children, rely on kin caregivers, and trust services designed for the general older population for fear of discrimination. As the older adult population becomes more diverse with aging LGBT adults, a gap between health needs and necessary resources may exacerbate disparities.