Loneliness and social and emotional support among sexual and gender minority caregivers

Loneliness and social and emotional support among sexual and gender minority caregivers
JAMA Network Open; Zhigang Xie, PhD; Hanadi Hamadi, PhD; Kassie Terrell, PhD; Laggy George, MPH; Jennifer Wells, BA; Jiaming Liang, PhD; 12/24
In the current landscape of US health care, informal unpaid caregiving provided by family members and friends is indispensable for managing diseases and ensuring long-term care in residential settings. Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults in the US are more likely than their non-SGM counterparts to provide informal care to their family members and/or friends. Caregiving can impose substantial physical, mental, and social connection issues on caregivers. In this cross-sectional study of social connections, SGM adults experienced significantly higher levels of loneliness compared with straight adults, irrespective of caregiving status.