Rainbow Ageing
Reducing Health Disparities for Older LGBTI Australians
2019-2021
Anthony Lyons, Catherine Barrett (Alice’s Garage), Victor Minichiello (QUT), Mark Hughes (Southern Cross University), Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen (University of Washington, US), Andrea Waling, Beatrice Alba (Deakin University), Shane Worrell
This project utilises quantitative and qualitative methods to provide detailed nationwide data on the health- and support-related challenges and needs of older LGBTI Australians. Findings from this project help to inform and support policymakers and service providers in reducing the health disparities faced by older LGBTI Australians.
Associated publications
Volunteering among older lesbian and gay adults: Associations with mental, physical and social wellbeing
Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Samantha Edmonds, Michelle Blanchard and Corey Irlam (2021)
This journal article explores the positive wellbeing associated with volunteering among older lesbian and gay adults, including mental, physical and social wellbeing, finding that results were especially significant for those volunteering for LGBTIQ community organisations.
Factors associated with self-reported PTSD diagnosis among older lesbian women and gay men
Beatrice Alba, Andrea Waling, Anthony Lyons, Victor Minichiello, Catherine Barrett, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Samantha Edmonds, Teresa Savage, Chris Pepping and Michelle Blanchard (2021)
Lesbian women and gay men are at greater risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than heterosexual people, however few studies have examined PTSD in older lesbian women and gay men. This study examined predictors of having ever been diagnosed with PTSD, as well as relationships to current quality of life, among 756 lesbian women and gay men aged 60 years and older in Australia.
Mental health and identity adjustment in older lesbian and gay adults: Assessing the role of whether their parents knew about their sexual orientation
Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Mark Hughes, Catherine Barrett, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen and Samantha Edmonds (2020)
Research suggests that lesbian and gay people’s disclosure of their sexual orientation to parents is associated with better mental health and identity adjustment. This study focused on older lesbian and gay adults, examining whether believing that their parents knew about their sexual orientation is linked to better current mental health and identity adjustment.
Recruiting stigmatised populations and managing negative commentary via social media: a case study of recruiting older LGBTI research participants in Australia
Andrea Waling, Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Victor Minichiello, Catherine Barrett, Mark Hughes and Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen (2020)
Using a case study involving a project on the health and well-being of older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in Australia, this study outlines the types of negative commentary received on a social media study recruitment advertising campaign, as well as outlining strategies for managing such commentary.
Older lesbian and gay adults’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to accessing health and aged care services in Australia
Beatrice Alba, Anthony Lyons, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Mark Hughes, Catherine Barrett Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen and Samantha Edmonds (2020)
To inform strategies promoting accessibility, this study aimed to investigate perceived barriers and facilitators to health and aged care service access among older lesbian and gay adults.
Experiences and perceptions of residential and home care services among older lesbian women and gay men in Australia
Andrea Waling, Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Victor Minichiello, Catherine Barrett, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen and Samantha Edmonds (2019)
This paper reports the findings of 33 qualitative interviews with older lesbian women and gay men about their perceptions and experiences of residential aged-care and home-based aged-care services in Australia. The results highlight that participants had a number of concerns related to accessing residential-care services in particular, including perceptions of a lack of inclusivity and concerns of potential for discrimination and hostility, loss of access to community and partners, decreased autonomy and concerns relating to quality of care and the potential for elder abuse.
Health, wellbeing, and social support in older Australian lesbian and gay care-givers
Beatrice Alba, Anthony Lyons, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Mark Hughes, Catherine Barrett Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen and Samantha Edmonds (2019)
Informal care-givers play an important role in society, and many of the people who provide this care are lesbian women and gay men. Being a care-giver is known to be associated with poorer health and well-being, and lesbian and gay care-givers report experiences of stigma and discrimination in the care-giving context. This study involved a survey of 230 lesbian women and 503 gay men aged 60 years and over living in Australia, of which 218 were care-givers, comparing care-givers to non-caregivers on a range of health and well-being measures, including psychological distress, positive mental health, physical health and social support.
Trans women’s perceptions of residential aged care in Australia
Andrea Waling, Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Victor Minichiello, Catherine Barrett, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen and Samantha Edmonds (2019)
Many older people in trans communities in Australia and elsewhere have experienced long histories of violence and discrimination in the health and social care sectors, making some of them fearful of interacting with contemporary health and social care providers. This study explored older trans women’s perceptions of these services.
Demographic and Psychosocial Predictors of Housing Security in Older Lesbian and Gay Australians
Beatrice Alba, Anthony Lyons, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Samantha Edmonds, Michelle Blanchard and Corey Irlam (2019)
This study examined housing security among 679 lesbian women and gay men aged 60 years and older living in Australia, including a range of potential demographic and psychosocial predictors of whether participants felt that their housing situation was secure.
Comfort among older lesbian and gay people in disclosing their sexual orientation to health and aged care services
Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Mark Hughes, Catherine Barrett, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Samantha Edmonds and Chris Pepping (2019)
Being comfortable in disclosing one’s sexual orientation to health and aged care providers is important for older lesbian and gay adults, given that nondisclosure is associated with poorer health and well-being outcomes. In a sample of 752 lesbian and gay adults aged 60 years and older living in Australia, the study found only 51% of lesbian women and 64% of gay men felt fully comfortable to disclose their sexual orientation to health and aged care service providers.
Older lesbian and gay men’s perceptions on lesbian and gay youth in Australia
Andrea Waling, Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Victor Minichiello, Catherine Barrett, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen and Samantha Edmonds (2019)
This study seeks deeper knowledge of the life experiences of older lebsian and gay people, including experiences of long-standing discrimination and activism, and how they view their lives in relation to younger lesbian and gay people, to assist agencies such as health and support services to provide more informed engagement, support, understanding, and culturally safe services.
Recent versus lifetime experiences of discrimination and the mental and physical health of older lesbian women and gay men
Anthony Lyons, Beatrice Alba, Andrea Waling, Victor Minichiello, Catherine Barrett, Mark Hughes, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Samantha Edmonds and Michelle Blanchard (2019)
This study examines the potential health-related impact of recent versus lifetime experiences of sexual orientation discrimination among older Australian lesbian women and gay men.
Funding and partnerships
This project was funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant, and conducted in collaboration with COTA Australia, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, SANE Australia and Carers Australia.