A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research Literature and a Thematic Synthesis of Older LGBTQ People’s Experiences of Quality of Life, Minority Joy, Resilience, Minority Stress, Discrimination, and Stigmatization in Japan and Sweden

Anna Sofia Bratt (), Ann-Christine Petersson Hjelm, Matilda Wurm, Richard Huntley, Yoshihisa Hirakawa and Tsukasa Muraya
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Anna Sofia Bratt: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, 35195 Växjö, Sweden
Ann-Christine Petersson Hjelm: Department of Business Studies, Commercial Law, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
Matilda Wurm: School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Örebro University, 70281 Örebro, Sweden
Richard Huntley: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, 35195 Växjö, Sweden
Yoshihisa Hirakawa: Department of Public Health and Health Systems, Nagoya University, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
Tsukasa Muraya: Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: There is a lack of research on older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) adults. This systematic review aimed to synthesize Japanese and Swedish qualitative research on LGBTQ adults aged 60 years or older following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Japanese and Swedish articles, published in English, were searched across ASSIA, CINAHL, Medline, PsychINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Sociological Abstracts databases. Additional searches were conducted to include studies in Japanese or Swedish. There were no papers from Japan, whereas five from Sweden were reviewed. One article was excluded due to the wrong phenomenon. Four articles were included, involving 48 participants aged 60–94 years. We summarized the findings using a deductive thematic synthesis. Two major themes emerged: (a) quality of life, minority joy, and resilience (positive aspects), and (b) discrimination, stigmatization, and minority stress (negative aspects). The participants wished to be acknowledged for their own assets and unique life histories, and to be treated as everyone else. They emphasized the importance of knowledge of LGBTQ issues among nursing staff, so that older LGBTQ people are treated in a competent and affirmative way. The study revealed several important topics for understanding older LGBTQ adults’ life circumstances and the severe lack of qualitative studies in Japan and Sweden.

Keywords: aging; aged; sexual and gender minorities; quality of life; stereotyping; social discrimination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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