Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT) caregivers of persons with Alzheimer?s disease and related dementias (ADRD) remain under-researched and, thus, underserved. What is known is that LGBT adults, including those providing informal care, experience greater health disparities than their heterosexual counterparts in terms of the prevalence of chronic disease, disability, access to care, and caregiver strain. Specific data related to LGBT caregivers of persons with ADRD, particularly related to the psychosocial impact of caregiving, are lacking. Not surprisingly, recent calls from the National Institute on Aging and the National Academy of Medicine focus on examining the health of LGBT individuals related to aging, ADRD, and caregiving. These data are critical to address the health disparities experienced by this population. Thus, the specific aims of the proposed study are (1) to characterize psychosocial measures related to environmental, psychological, social, behavioral, and health factors among LGBT adult caregivers providing care for persons with ADRD; and (2) to determine the effects of care recipient (sexual gender minority status, neuropsychiatric symptoms) and caregiver (stigma, perceived stress, self-efficacy, and historical and environmental factors [victimization, discrimination, microaggressions]) characteristics on family quality of life, caregiver strain, and mood/depressive symptoms among LGBT caregivers compared with non-LGBT caregivers of persons with ADRD. A link to an electronic survey with items and measures guided by the Health Equity Promotion Model, including the Family Quality of Life in Dementia scale, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, Activities of Daily Living, and the Center for Epidemiological Study Depression Scale, as well as demographic characteristics, will be disseminated using social media platforms with posts specifically targeted toward LGBT caregivers of persons with ADRD. The proposed project will be the first study to provide essential data describing the unique needs of these caregivers.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT) adults experience a higher prevalence of chronic disease and disability, as well as a poorer physical and mental health status. Many of these LGBT adults serve as caregivers for a love one with dementia, yet little is known about the experience and characteristics of this under-researched and underserved community of caregivers. These data are critical to address the health disparities experienced by this population in a targeted fashion.
