Pereira Henrique, Serrano Juan Pedro, de Vries Brian, Esgalhado Graça, Afonso Rosa Marina, Monteiro Samuel
1 University of Beira Interior, Covilha, Portugal.
2 University of Castile-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain.
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2018 Jul;87(1):5-32. doi: 10.1177/0091415017720889. Epub 2017 Jul 27.
Aims and Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions toward aging among Portuguese gay and bisexual men over 60 years old. Background Despite the growth of the older population, and the increased visibility and acceptance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in Western countries, the experience of aging in older gay and bisexual men is only beginning to be understood. Design We used a qualitative research methodology, based on critical gerontology, for establishing research questions and to identify the perspectives on the aging process in older gay and bisexual individuals. Methods We used a structured electronic inquiry with 25 gay and bisexual men over 60 years of age from Portugal. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to help identify repeated patterns of meaning in the data set. Results The recurrent themes in the narratives of the aging experiences of the participants in the study were as follows: positive perceptions of aging, negative perceptions of aging, coping with being a gay/bisexual man and family ties, professional care, homophobia/discrimination, relationships and social support, intergenerational differences, mediating role of sexual orientation, sociopolitical changes, and personal characteristics. Conclusion Analysis of perceptions about the aging process in older gay and bisexual men emphasized the desire for normalization in the social awareness of sexual orientation. It is important to continue doing research on this topic and disseminate this information among professionals who work with older lesbian, gay, and bisexual people so that they may better understand how they can meet the specific needs of this population.
目的与目标 本研究的目的是探讨60岁以上葡萄牙男同性恋者和双性恋者对衰老的看法。背景 尽管老年人口在增加，并且在西方国家女同性恋者、男同性恋者和双性恋者的能见度和接受度有所提高，但老年男同性恋者和双性恋者的衰老经历才刚刚开始被理解。设计 我们采用基于批判老年学的定性研究方法来确定研究问题，并识别老年男同性恋者和双性恋者对衰老过程的看法。方法 我们对来自葡萄牙的25名60岁以上的男同性恋者和双性恋者进行了结构化电子调查。使用主题分析法对数据进行分析，以帮助识别数据集中反复出现的意义模式。结果 该研究参与者衰老经历叙述中的反复出现的主题如下：对衰老的积极看法、对衰老的消极看法、作为男同性恋者/双性恋者的应对与家庭关系、专业护理、恐同症/歧视、人际关系与社会支持、代际差异、性取向的中介作用、社会政治变化以及个人特征。结论 对老年男同性恋者和双性恋者衰老过程看法的分析强调了在性取向社会认知中实现正常化的愿望。继续对此主题进行研究并在与老年女同性恋者、男同性恋者和双性恋者打交道的专业人员中传播这些信息非常重要，以便他们能更好地理解如何满足这一人群的特定需求。
