The number of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults aged 50 and older is projected to reach 5 million in the U.S. by 2030 (Fredriksen-Goldsen, Kim, Shiu, Goldsen, & Emlet, 2015). Older bisexuals experience more negative mental and physical health outcomes when compared to both heterosexuals and other sexual minorities (Fredriksen-Goldsen, Shiu, Bryan, Goldsen, & Kim, 2017). As bisexuals are the numeric majority of sexual minorities in the U.S. (Herbenick et al., 2010), bisexual aging processes are critical to understand if researchers wish to reduce sexual minority health disparities and promote healthy aging. In the current study, we use a national probability sample of adults from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study to assess life satisfaction across an 18-year period. We aimed to identify whether life satisfaction—an indicator of psychological health and wellbeing—is similar for same-age bisexual, lesbian and gay, and heterosexual midlife individuals, and whether sexual orientation predicts change in life satisfaction across adulthood.
Wardecker, B., Matsick, J.L., Graham-Engeland, J.E., & Almeida, D.M. (2018). Bisexuals life satisfaction across adulthood: Findings from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study. Archives of Sexual Behavior. doi: 10.1007/s10508-018-1151-5