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Substance Use and Recovery in the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming (TGNC) Older Adult Community

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Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Health and Aging

Abstract

Overall, rates of substance use are higher in the LGBT community than in the heterosexual population [1]. Although little research exists regarding the specific substance use patterns and rates of use in the TGNC older adult community, available evidence supports higher rates of substance use in the transgender community when compared with cisgender peers [2, 3]. The chapter discusses factors that may contribute to problematic substance use by TGNC older adults, including isolation, stigma and discrimination, minority stress, regret, physical health, lack of affirmative care and chronic pain, and violence [4,5,6,7]. Resilience and strengths of TGNC older adults that may contribute to successful recovery and treatment of substance use disorders are also explored. Guidance for affirmative treatment of substance use disorders within the TGNC older adult community is provided with discussion about some evidence-based practices that have been studied with the TGNC adult population.

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Agosto, S., Reitz, K., Ducheny, K., Moaton, T. (2019). Substance Use and Recovery in the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming (TGNC) Older Adult Community. In: Hardacker, C., Ducheny, K., Houlberg, M. (eds) Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Health and Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95031-0_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95031-0_6

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