Abstract
Background:
Older men who have sex with men (OMSM) remain understudied in Asian sexual minority health research. In Hong Kong and Mainland China, psychological distress among OMSM may be shaped by stigma, discrimination, and socioeconomic disadvantage within limited protective policy environments. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of psychological distress among OMSM in these two
regions.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2024 among 302 OMSM aged ≥60 years, including 151 participants from Hong Kong and 151 from Mainland China. Participants were recruited through LGBT organizations, NGOs, and academic institutions using convenience, snowball, and targeted sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and hierarchical logistic regression to assess associations between psychological distress and socioeconomic status, personal social capital, and discrimination.
Results:
Higher monthly income (>HK$18,700) was associated with increased psychological distress (OR = 2.82). Everyday discrimination emerged as the strongest predictor: each unit increase on the Everyday Discrimination Scale was associated with a 17% higher likelihood of distress (OR = 1.17), accounting for 35.9% of the explained variance. After adjusting for discrimination, education and personal social capital were no longer significant.
Conclusions:
Discrimination is the primary determinant of psychological distress among OMSM, outweighing socioeconomic and social factors. Interventions addressing minority stress and discrimination are essential to improving mental health among aging sexual minority populations in diverse sociocultural contexts
Older men who have sex with men (OMSM) remain understudied in Asian sexual minority health research. In Hong Kong and Mainland China, psychological distress among OMSM may be shaped by stigma, discrimination, and socioeconomic disadvantage within limited protective policy environments. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of psychological distress among OMSM in these two
regions.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2024 among 302 OMSM aged ≥60 years, including 151 participants from Hong Kong and 151 from Mainland China. Participants were recruited through LGBT organizations, NGOs, and academic institutions using convenience, snowball, and targeted sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and hierarchical logistic regression to assess associations between psychological distress and socioeconomic status, personal social capital, and discrimination.
Results:
Higher monthly income (>HK$18,700) was associated with increased psychological distress (OR = 2.82). Everyday discrimination emerged as the strongest predictor: each unit increase on the Everyday Discrimination Scale was associated with a 17% higher likelihood of distress (OR = 1.17), accounting for 35.9% of the explained variance. After adjusting for discrimination, education and personal social capital were no longer significant.
Conclusions:
Discrimination is the primary determinant of psychological distress among OMSM, outweighing socioeconomic and social factors. Interventions addressing minority stress and discrimination are essential to improving mental health among aging sexual minority populations in diverse sociocultural contexts
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 21 Jul 2026 |
| Event | 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology - Florence, Italy Duration: 21 Jul 2026 → 25 Jul 2026 |
Conference
| Conference | 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Italy |
| City | Florence |
| Period | 21/07/26 → 25/07/26 |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
User-Defined Keywords
- Older men who have sex with men
- Psychological distress
- Discrimination
- Minority stress
- Socioeconomic status
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