According to a National Poll on Healthy Aging, 93% of Americans ages 50 to 80 say they have experienced at least one form of ageism from others. Internalized ageism occurs when a person believes ageist ideas about themselves, such as thinking they’ve had a “senior moment” or thinking they’re too old to learn a new technology. The internalization of ageist stereotypes can impact the mental and physical health of older adults, including their sexual health. Various aspects of sexual health among older people have been widely studied; however, studies focusing on older gay men, who often face disproportionate health disparities, are limited.
New research from Lucas R. Prieto, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at George Mason University’s College of Public Health, found that internalized gay ageism affects some aspects of older gay men’s sexual health, but not all. Internalized gay ageism negatively impacts older gay men’s sexual satisfaction when mediated by body image. However, the internalized ageism of homosexuals does not influence their erectile dysfunction. Internalized gay ageism (IGA) is the combination of internalized homophobia and ageism that reflects the distinct experiences of older gay men, such as feeling invisible when around other gay men.
“A full mediation effect was found, meaning that older gay men who internalize negative feelings about aging as a gay man (e.g. IGA), report lower body image and sexual satisfaction” , said Prieto, lead researcher. “Social and mental health factors associated with sexual satisfaction among older gay men” was published online in the Journal of Homosexuality in May 2024.
“Research shows that older adults who are sexually satisfied report greater satisfaction and quality of life. Therefore, studies exploring sexual satisfaction among marginalized older adult populations, such as older gay men, are needed. It is essential that providers understand the uniqueness of aging as a homosexual to provide competent care,” Prieto said. Research also showed that older gay men in open relationships than single or widowed men were more likely to be sexually satisfied.
“Limiting our understanding of sexual satisfaction to older heterosexual populations may have detrimental health consequences for sexual minority groups. Our findings indicate the need for health-promoting interventions tailored to the cultural differences and experiences of older gay men” , Prieto said.
Additionally, Prieto explored the relationship between internalized gay ageism and erectile dysfunction (ED). Prieto found that age and general health were factors that predicted erectile dysfunction in older gay men, but that internalized gay ageism did not predict erectile dysfunction. These findings were published separately under the title “Factors associated with erectile dysfunction in older gay men,” published online in the Archives of sexual behavior in June 2024.
The findings in both articles come from a cross-sectional study titled “Study of Aging and Sexual Satisfaction in Gay Men (SASSY)” which surveyed gay men online on the topic of sexual health and well-being. Initial research for this study was done at Michigan State University, Prieto’s former institution. Deirdre A. Shires and Yuan Xiong of Michigan State University are co-authors on both papers.