US. Study sheds light onto biracial, LGBTQ older adults for the first time

A new study presented at the 2022 American Society on Aging’s annual conference is hoping to shed light on the lived experiences connected to the health and well-being of older adults who identify as biracial/multiracial and bisexual.

Deana Williams, PhD, MPH, lead researcher of the study and a research investigator at the MultiCare Institute for Research and Innovation, told SeniorsMatter while research is increasing for some of these groups – including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults – most of the conversation has been centered on gay and lesbian aging among mostly white individuals.

According to the American Psychological Association, of the more than 39 million U.S. adults 65 and older, 2.4 million identify as LGBT. And a 2018 report by the Administration for Community Living also found nearly 23% of people 65 and older were members of racial or ethnic minority populations.

“Oftentimes, when people of color are included in research, it’s only people who belong to one racial or ethnic background. Biracial/multiracial people are being left out of that,” she said. “To my knowledge, this is the first and only study that has ever looked at the intersections of these identities for an aging community.”

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