Abstract

There is a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and identifying as transgender on poor health outcomes and behaviors for youth and adults. There is minimal research examining the relationship between ACEs and being transgender on older adults' health outcomes and behaviors. The study used the existing dataset the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in which adults participated in telephone interviews. The total sample size was n = 418,268 adults 65 years and older. Respondents answered questions about ACEs and transgender status on chronic diseases and health behavior outcomes (tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and exercise). Results showed an overall relationship between ACEs and transgender status on chronic disease and health behavior outcomes. Multiple regression indicates that ACEs and transgender status could explain a slight variance in chronic disease. Binomial logistic regression showed a small variance in smoking and alcohol consumption for ACEs and transgender status. The multinomial regression indicated significant unique contributions by both ACEs and transgender status. This study is one of the first to assess transgender health, particularly for older adults. The relationship between adversity, mental and physical health, and behavioral outcomes for transgender individuals continues to be a need to understand the processes throughout their lifespan.