Information from the abstract
INTRODUCTION: This study explores how middle-aged and older LGBTQ+ adults in Thailand engage in mental health self-care within complex social and cultural environments. While global research has largely reflected Western perspectives, little is known about how self-care is practiced in non-Western, Buddhist, and collectivist contexts. This study situates mental health self-care as both an individual and socially embedded process shaped by cultural beliefs, kinship norms, and structural inequalities. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted with 30 LGBTQ+ participants aged 50-68 from Thailand, using thematic analysis. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were carried out online and analyzed within a thematic framework to identify recurring patterns and culturally grounded meanings. RESULTS: Two overarching themes emerged: (1) Socio-cultural backgrounds shaping mental health self-care, which included Family and Childhood Memories, Community Environment, Cultural Beliefs and Mental Health, and Intimacy and Romantic Experience; and (2) Lived Experiences of Mental Health Self-Care, encompassing strategies for Coping with Stigma and Discrimination, Barriers to Mental Health Services, Cultivating Joy, Pride, and Self-Reliance, Community Contribution and Advocacy, Physical Health as Mental Anchor, and Self-Education on Mental Health. Self-care was intertwined with Buddhist ethics, caregiving norms, and digital peer support, reflecting both adaptation and quiet resistance within Thai society. CONCLUSION: Mental health self-care among older LGBTQ+ Thais represents a culturally informed resilience that bridges individual agency and collective well-being. The findings highlight the importance of integrating social determinants of health and cultural context into inclusive mental health policies and community-based interventions for aging LGBTQ+ populations.
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Related topics: LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Mental Health Treatment and Access · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
Thai researcher and institutional participation
Nanchatsan Sakunpong · Ramida Mahantamak · Chawitra Tantimala · Kitsiri Chochiang · Srinakharinwirot University · Mahidol University · Chandrakasem Rajabhat University · Prince of Songkla University
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