Health Benefits From Getting Married Instead Of Remaining Just Partners? Recent Study Says Yes!

With the advancement in numbers of same-sex marriages in the country/world, we've added ourselves to the prospects of being surveyed.  Yes!  This is a good thing! 

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In order to find out how gay married couples are doing, The Gerontological Society of America recently studied lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults that are in civil marriages. The purpose of its recent study was to examine how legal marriage and relationship status are associated with health-promoting and at-risk factors, health, and quality of life of LGBT adults aged 50 and older.

 

Those legally married reported better quality of life and more economic and social resources than unmarried partnered; physical health indicators were similar between legally married and unmarried partnered. Those single reported poorer health and fewer resources than legally married and unmarried partnered.

It's interesting that just the aspect of getting married instead of just staying partnere can change your health and well being. 

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Why are these results important?  One outcome is that LGBT older adults, and practitioners serving them, should become educated about how legal same-sex marriage interfaces with the context of LGBT older adults’ lives, and policies and protections related to age and sexual and gender identity.

Older, happier, and in better health?  We'll take it!

 

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h/t: academic.oup.com

Who Says I Do: The Changing Context of Marriage and Health and Quality of Life for LGBT Older Adults

Gerontologist (2017) 57 (suppl_1): S50-S62.

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