Lesbian and gay older adults have health disparities that are risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, yet little is known about the neurocognitive aging of sexual minority groups.
Objective:
To explore cross-sectional and longitudinal dementia outcomes for adults in same-sex relationships (SSR) and those in mixed-sex relationships (MSR).
Methods:
This prospective observational study utilized data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set (NACC UDS) collected from contributing Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers. Participants were adults aged 55+ years at baseline with at least two visits in NACC UDS (from September 2005 to March 2021) who had a spouse, partner, or companion as a co-participant. Outcome measures included CDR® Dementia Staging Instrument, NACC UDS neuropsychological testing, and the Functional Activities Questionnaire. Multivariable linear mixed-effects models accounted for center clustering and repeated measures by individual.
Results:
Both MSR and SSR groups experienced cognitive decline regardless of baseline diagnosis. In general, MSR and SSR groups did not differ statistically on cross-sectional or longitudinal estimates of functioning, dementia severity, or neuropsychological testing, with two primary exceptions. People in SSR with mild cognitive impairment showed less functional impairment at baseline (FAQ M = 2.61, SD = 3.18 vs. M = 3.97, SD = 4.53, respectively; p < 0.01). The SSR group with dementia had less steep decline in attention/working memory (β estimates = –0.10 versus –0.18; p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
Participants in SSR did not show cognitive health disparities consistent with a minority stress model. Additional research into protective factors is warranted.
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