Abstract

The social experiences and health outcomes of sexual and gender minorities are important foci of research because of the diverse disparities that they experience compared to the heterosexual and gender majority population despite efforts to improve their health. This study uses the Pennebaker Inventory of Limbic Languidness (PILL) to investigate factors that are associated with reports of negative physical symptoms and sensations among sexual minority (lesbian, gay, and bisexual) aging people in a large metropolitan area in Texas. Two linear regression models were used. This study shows that the aging lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations may have increased negative physical health symptoms and sensations related to social vigilance and depression. However, the joint association between sexual minority identity and depression is the key to understanding the relationship between sexual orientation and reports of physical health symptoms and sensations among our study participants. Several health and policy implications are provided.