"In the nearly 50 years since Stonewall, same-sex marriage went from being a pipe dream to a legal quagmire to reality -- and it may be one of the most profound changes to social policy in recent history," said lead study author Jayn Goldsen.
US researchers have found that married lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples have better physical and mental health, more social support and greater financial resources than those who were single.
The findings appeared in the journal of The Gerontologist.
"In the nearly 50 years since Stonewall, same-sex marriage went from being a pipe dream to a legal quagmire to reality -- and it may be one of the most profound changes to social policy in recent history," said lead study author Jayn Goldsen.
They analysed more than 1,800 LGBT people, aged 50 and older, and carried out survey in 2014 in locations where gay marriage was already legal.
The results revealed that about one-fourth were married, another fourth were in a committed relationship, and half were single.
Married respondents had spent an average of 23 years together, while those in a committed, unmarried relationship had spent an average of 16 years.
Among the study participants, more women were married than men, and of the respondents who were married, most were identified as non-Hispanic white.
They found that the participants in a relationship, whether married or in a long-term partnership, showed better health outcomes than those who were single.
But those who were married fared even better, both socially and financially, than couples in unmarried, long-term partnerships.
Single LGBT adults were more likely to have a disability; to report lower physical, psychological, social and environmental quality of life; and to have experienced the death of a partner, especially among men.
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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