Addressing the Underrepresentation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Gender-Diverse Populations in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

The current research report examines the extent to which lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), and transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) older adults are represented in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) relative to Canadian population data. To accomplish this aim, we descriptively and statistically compared LGB and TGD representation in the CLSA against national-level data from the 2023 Canadian Community Health Survey and 2021 Canadian Census. We found that bisexual people, transgender men, and transgender women were underrepresented in the CLSA (0.66% for bisexual people, and 0.01% each for transgender men and women) compared to national-level data (0.95% for bisexual people, 0.05% for transgender men, and 0.09% for transgender women). However, lesbian/gay and nonbinary participants were adequately represented in the CLSA (2.01% for lesbian/gay and 0.02% for nonbinary people) relative to national-level data (1.87% for lesbian/gay and 0.03% for nonbinary people). Varying assessment methods for sexual orientation and gender identity across CLSA waves complicate analyses but underscore evolving inclusivity efforts in longitudinal research. Based on our analyses, we detail recommendations for researchers using the CLSA to examine health outcomes and resilience factors among LGB and TGD populations, even with small sample sizes. Ultimately, these findings highlight the necessity of robust, inclusive data to inform interventions and support policy decisions for older LGB and TGD populations.