Aims: Older LGBT+ adults face unique intersectional challenges related to ageing, yet their holistic needs are often overlooked in German quantitative ageing studies due to fragmented secondary data. This study critically evaluates German quantitative secondary datasets to establish how methodological improvements could pave the way for more accurate and inclusive research and practice.
Approach: We conducted an exploratory secondary data search and systematically screened German surveys published since 2014. We evaluated studies capturing populations aged 50+ with variables on sexual orientation/gender identity, as well as social, socioeconomic, or health indicators. Out of the 141 questionnaires screened, only nine met our inclusion criteria and achieved a minimum viable sample size of 20 LGBT+ individuals. We then subjected these nine studies to comparative methodological scrutiny.
Relevance to the workshop theme: This presentation addresses the workshop’s focus on research gaps and the scoping review’s finding of a ‘lack of consensus’. Our analysis reveals a significant absence of consensus in the operationalisation of the target group: studies rarely capture both sexual orientation and gender identity simultaneously. Furthermore, data limitations, such as restrictive binary gender categories or inaccurate household cohabitation proxies, mask the community’s internal heterogeneity. By exposing these obstacles and their impact on the needs of older LGBT+ individuals, we propose actionable, evidence-based solutions for standardising multidimensional data collection in future ageing research.