Functional disability among elderly blacks and whites in two diverse areas : the New Haven and North Carolina EPESE

This study examines the prevalence of functional disability (limitation in at least one basic activity of daily living) among elderly Black and White community residents in the New Haven (n = 2812) and North Carolina (n = 4162) sites of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the El...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 1995-07, Vol.85 (7), p.994-998
Main Authors: MENDES DE LEON, C. F, FILLENBAUM, G. G, WILLIAMS, C. S, BROCK, D. B, BECKETT, L. A, BERKMAN, L. F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Americans
Age groups
Analysis. Health state
Biological and medical sciences
Black people
Body mass index
Chronic illnesses
Disability
Elderly people
Epidemiology
Functional impairment
General aspects
Medical sciences
Motor ability
Older people
Public health
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Questionnaires
Race
Racial differences
Ratios
Social research
Socioeconomic factors
USA
White people
Women
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Summary:This study examines the prevalence of functional disability (limitation in at least one basic activity of daily living) among elderly Black and White community residents in the New Haven (n = 2812) and North Carolina (n = 4162) sites of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE). In New Haven, elderly Blacks, particularly women below age 75, had a higher prevalence of disability compared with Whites, which was partially attributable to a higher prevalence of chronic conditions. In North Carolina, Blacks had only a slightly higher risk of being disabled than Whites, and this was fully accounted for by differences in socioeconomic status. Black-White differences in the prevalence of functional disability reveal geographic variation.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/ajph.85.7.994