Body image and overall health found important to the sexual health of older gay men, according to new studies

From MedXpress

According to a National Poll on Healthy Aging, 93% of people in the U.S. between 50–80 years old report experiencing at least one form of ageism from other people. Internalized ageism is when a person believes ageist ideas about themselves, such as thinking they had a “senior moment” or thinking they are too old to learn new technology.

Two gay men being affectionate in a natural setting

Internalizing ageist stereotypes can impact older people’s mental and physical health, including sexual health. Various aspects of older adults’ sexual health have been studied widely; however, studies focusing on older gay men, who often face disproportionate health disparities, are limited.

New research from Lucas R. Prieto, 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.

Read the full article on Medicalxpress.

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