Infographic: LGBT Health, Racial Disparities, and Aging—by the Numbers
Americans who are people of color, older adults and LGBT identified (referred to in this blog post as LGBT elders of color) often have unique needs because of the intersections of identities. LGBT elders of color are historically marginalized on multiple fronts and their needs are often under addressed in the mainstream aging field and in the popular LGBT rights movement.
To bring awareness to these challenges, in April SAGE released Health Equity and LGBT Elders of Color, a report that examines health disparities faced by LGBT elders of color, and offers policy solutions in 10 areas to address these challenges. You can download the report at sageusa.org.
Today, SAGE is supplementing that report with the release of LGBT Health, Racial Disparities, and Aging—By the Numbers, a striking infographic that illustrates the many health and wellness challenges faced by older adults who are people of color and/or LGBT. Some of the findings include:
- Among LGBT elders, aged 50+, 47% have a disability
- One quarter of transgender elders age 50+ are in poor health, and 22% could not afford to see a doctor
- Black people are 2X, and Latino people are about 1.5X more likely, than their White counterparts to have Alzheimer’s and other dementias
- American Indian/Alaska Native people have higher rates of heart disease and diabetes than other racial/ethnic groups
Download the infographic LGBT Health, Racial Disparities, and Aging—By the Numbers, today! Help raise awareness of the issues faced by LGBT elders of color by sharing it widely.
Despite the profound health disparities faced by these communities, LGBT elders of color continue to “unleash the power of age” by acting as leaders in their own community. For example, Ty Martin is an older gay black man who works with other black elders on HIV/AIDs awareness and prevention. His call to power to the black community is featured in the health equity report; read it now on the SAGE blog.