Journal article
Loneliness among Sexually and Gender Diverse People in Australia: an Age-Based Analysis
Sexuality research & social policy, Vol.First online
22/12/2025
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Introduction: Despite recent reforms, social exclusion and discrimination continue to impact sexually and gender diverse (SGD) Australians. Of concern is the greater loneliness reported among SGD people, particularly transgender and nonbinary people. Age is a factor related to loneliness that is much debated with further research needed to understand the extent to which it predicts loneliness among this population.
Methods: We analysed Australian data (n = 271) from the Global Pride Survey, administered in 2022, to understand age-based loneliness patterns among groups of SGD people. Drawing on the Health Equity Promotion Model, we examined the extent to which indicators of social positions, environmental context and individual- and social-level health risk and health pathways predicted loneliness.
Results: Through regression analysis, we identified that sexual diversity, gender diversity and being transgender did not appear as predictors of loneliness. However, being younger or middle-aged did emerge as a predictor of a higher level of loneliness, as did less social support, lower resilience and more frequent functional limitations.
Conclusions: While younger and middle-aged SGD people might be expected to be faring better than older people, in this study we identified that the older cohort reported less loneliness.
Policy Implications: SGD people continue to face the consequences of social exclusion and discrimination despite equality reforms. Social policy should ensure that loneliness programs are accessible to SGD people and that targeted programs are developing, including those that enhance intergenerational connections.
Details
- Title
- Loneliness among Sexually and Gender Diverse People in Australia: an Age-Based Analysis
- Creators
- Mark Hughes - Southern Cross UniversityAustin Oswald - University of WashingtonKaren Fredriksen-Goldsen - University of Washington
- Publication Details
- Sexuality research & social policy, Vol.First online
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Identifiers
- 991013348639802368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.
- Academic Unit
- Social Work; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article