Page 73 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, eds. 2018. Zdravje starostnikov ▪︎ Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 73
t Predicts Adjustment to Aging among Lesbian, Gay psihosocialni vidiki prilagajanja na staranje | psychosocial aspects of adjustment to aging
and Bisexual Older Adults?
Francis Carneiro, Sofia von Humboldt, Isabel Leal
William James Center for Research, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do
Tabaco, 34 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
Introduction: Intervention programs that highlight predictors of adjustment to
aging (AtA) for minority older lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) populations are
scarce. The aim of this preliminary study is to build a structural model to ex-
plore whether socio-demographic, health and lifestyle-related variables, are
correlates of AtA in a group of LGB older adults.
Methods: The sample comprised 287 LGB older adults aged 75 years old and
older. Convenience sampling was used to gather questionnaire data. Measures
encompassed the Adjustment to Aging Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale,
demographics and lifestyle and health-related characteristics. Structural equa-
tion modeling was used to explore a structural model of the self-reported
AtA, comprising all the above variables.
Results: The structural model indicated the following significant correlates:
perceived health (β = 0.456; p <0.001), leisure (β = 0.378; p <0.001), income
(β = 0.302; p <0 .001), education (β = 0.299; p = 0.009), spirituality (β = 0.189;
p <0 .001), sex (β = 0.156; p <0 .001), physical activity (β = 0.142; p <0 .001),
satisfaction with life (β = 0.126; p <0 .001), and marital status (β = 0.114; p =
0.008). The variables explain respectively 76.4% of the variability of AtA.
Discussion and conclusions: These outcomes suggest that policy making and
community interventions with LGB older adults may benefit of including varia-
bles, such as, perceived health, leisure and income, as these were pointed out
as significant for this group of older adults for promoting adjustment to aging
in late adulthood.
Keywords: adjustment to aging, correlates, lesbian, gay and bisexual older
adults, structural equation modeling
71
and Bisexual Older Adults?
Francis Carneiro, Sofia von Humboldt, Isabel Leal
William James Center for Research, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do
Tabaco, 34 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
Introduction: Intervention programs that highlight predictors of adjustment to
aging (AtA) for minority older lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) populations are
scarce. The aim of this preliminary study is to build a structural model to ex-
plore whether socio-demographic, health and lifestyle-related variables, are
correlates of AtA in a group of LGB older adults.
Methods: The sample comprised 287 LGB older adults aged 75 years old and
older. Convenience sampling was used to gather questionnaire data. Measures
encompassed the Adjustment to Aging Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale,
demographics and lifestyle and health-related characteristics. Structural equa-
tion modeling was used to explore a structural model of the self-reported
AtA, comprising all the above variables.
Results: The structural model indicated the following significant correlates:
perceived health (β = 0.456; p <0.001), leisure (β = 0.378; p <0.001), income
(β = 0.302; p <0 .001), education (β = 0.299; p = 0.009), spirituality (β = 0.189;
p <0 .001), sex (β = 0.156; p <0 .001), physical activity (β = 0.142; p <0 .001),
satisfaction with life (β = 0.126; p <0 .001), and marital status (β = 0.114; p =
0.008). The variables explain respectively 76.4% of the variability of AtA.
Discussion and conclusions: These outcomes suggest that policy making and
community interventions with LGB older adults may benefit of including varia-
bles, such as, perceived health, leisure and income, as these were pointed out
as significant for this group of older adults for promoting adjustment to aging
in late adulthood.
Keywords: adjustment to aging, correlates, lesbian, gay and bisexual older
adults, structural equation modeling
71
