Examining the influence of pre-HAART experiences on older, self-identifying gay men’s contemporary constructions of quality of life (QOL)

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dc.contributor.authorHandlovsky, Ingrid
dc.contributor.authorAmato, Anthony T.
dc.contributor.authorFerlatte, Oliver
dc.contributor.authorKia, Hannah
dc.contributor.authorGagnon, Marilou
dc.contributor.authorWorthington Catherine
dc.date.accessioned2026-05-07T17:31:16Z
dc.date.available2026-05-07T17:31:16Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractSome older gay men (50+) experience diminished quality of life (QOL) due to historical and ongoing discrimination in addition to living through a collective trauma—the pre-HAART era of the HIV/AIDS epidemic—characterized by the absence of treatment and rampant discrimination targeting gay men. A growing body of literature, however, illustrates that older gay men demonstrate remarkable resilience but little is known about how QOL is conceptualized and how these conceptualizations are potentially shaped by pre-HAART experiences. The current study drew on constructivist grounded theory methods to examine how QOL is conceptualized in light of the sociohistorical relevance of pre-HAART. Twenty Canadian based gay men aged 50+ participated in semi-structured interviews via Zoom. Ultimately, QOL is understood as experiencing contentment, which is made possible by the development and implementation of three key processes: (1) developing and cultivating meaningful connections, (2) growing into and embracing identity, and (3) appreciating the capacity to do what brings joy. QOL for this group is greatly informed by a context of disadvantage, and the demonstrated resilience warrants further investigation to meaningfully support the overall well-being of older gay men.
dc.description.reviewstatusReviewed
dc.description.scholarlevelFaculty
dc.description.sponsorshipThis project was supported by two internal research grants awarded by The University of Victoria: [#51965-54200 and #10000-71798].
dc.identifier.citationHandlovsky, I., Amato, A. T., Ferlatte, O., Kia, H., Gagnon, M., & Worthington, C. (2024). Examining the influence of pre-HAART experiences on older, self-identifying gay men’s contemporary constructions of quality of life (QOL). Journal of Homosexuality, 71(8), 1880–1899. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2023.2212100
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2023.2212100
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/23820
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherJournal of Homosexuality
dc.rightsCrown Copyright
dc.subjectInstitute on Aging and Lifelong Health
dc.subjectCanadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR)
dc.subjectHIV/AIDS
dc.subjectquality of life (QOL)
dc.subjectsexuality
dc.subjectaging
dc.subjectgay/lesbian
dc.subjectSexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Aspiration Research Cluster
dc.subject.departmentSchool of Nursing
dc.subject.departmentSchool of Public Health and Social Policy
dc.titleExamining the influence of pre-HAART experiences on older, self-identifying gay men’s contemporary constructions of quality of life (QOL)
dc.typeArticle

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