University of Gothenburg
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The living conditions and quality of life for older LGBTI people

The situation of LGBTI* people in the Nordic countries has changed radically in recent decades. This has led to increased access to social and legal rights, strengthened protection against discrimination, increased visibility and more opportunities to socialise. Despite this, studies show that a gender identity or sexual orientation that does not conform to the conventional norm still significantly increases the risk of ill health.

How do these conditions affect the opportunities for older lgbti people as they age and what happens in their contact with health and social care? On behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers, NIKK, Nordic Information on Gender, has carried out a project to contribute to increased knowledge about the living conditions and quality of life of older lgbti people, especially in the encounter with health and social care.

The project has resulted in the report ‘He went into the wardrobe again’, which consists of two parts:

  • A knowledge review describing the state of research on older LGBTI people's living conditions and encounters with health and social care in the Nordic countries, and
  • A knowledge inventory describing how the LGBTI perspective is taken into account in training programmes for professions that meet the target group.

In 2025, the results of the study will continue to be disseminated and presented to selected target groups.

NIKK is a co-operative body under the Nordic Council of Ministers, located at the National Secretariat for Gender Research.

We cooperate with:

Researchers at Södertörn University and the University of Innlandet, the Nordic Welfare Centre, the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden, Bufdir (Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs) in Norway, and LGBTI organisations in the Nordic region.

 

* LGBTI is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex