A Longitudinal Analysis of Social Connectedness and Subjective Cognitive Impairment and Racial and Ethnic Differences Among LGBTQ Midlife and Older Adults.

Objective: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) midlife and older adults are known to face elevated risks of subjective cognitive impairment (SCI). This study examines the relationships between multifaceted aspects of social connectedness and SCI among LGBTQ midlife and older adults, taking into consideration racial and ethnic differences.

Methods: We used biennial longitudinal data from the Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study of LGBTQ adults aged 50 and older, with repeated measures of SCI from 2014 to 2020. We employed hierarchical linear mixed models to estimate the overall level of and changes in SCI, their associations with social connectedness properties, and racial and ethnic heterogeneity in the associations.

Results: The time-only model revealed a significant linear increase in SCI over time, but this time effect disappeared after controlling for background characteristics and social connectedness properties. Results of interaction effects of time and social connectedness revealed that a steeper increase in SCI is observed for those with low network diversity, diminished network size, and reduced LGBTQ community engagement. When compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics, Blacks, and individuals of other races showed a higher SCI. The interaction effects of time and social connectedness on SCI were pronounced among Hispanics.

Conclusions: Social isolation is a major concern among LGBTQ midlife and older adults. This study suggests that promoting social connectedness may help alleviate the increase in SCI. Addressing racial and ethnic differences is imperative in developing public health policies and interventions for this underserved and demographically diverse at-risk population.