The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67010

John T. Wulu, PhD¹, Marion E. Primas, PhD, MS², Jun Liu, PhD³, Margaret Z Byron, MS³, and Allison M. Burns⁴. (1) Office of Data, Evaluation, Analysis & Research, Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA/DHHS, 4350 East West Highway, 7th floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-594-3730, jwulu@hrsa.gov, (2) Healthy Aging Staff, Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 4350 East-West Highway, Bureau of Primary Health Care, 9th floor, Maryland, MD 20814, (3) Research Division, Research Triangle Institute International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, (4) Research Triangle Institute, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Background: Several studies have acknowledged differences in health status among racial/ethnic groups across the life cycle in the United States, and the disparities experienced by older Americans cut across a range of dimensions of health status. By most measures, Blacks/African Americans have poorer health status than Whites, but the patterns are more complex among Hispanics. Objectives: This study examines the relationships between insurance status, poverty, marital, age groups, educational levels and selected racial/ethnic differences in the elderly subpopulation health. Methods: Cross-sectional data on samples of men and women aged at least 50 years old from the1995 and 2002 CHC user/visit surveys were analyzed to examine the association between socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic differences in functional status among those with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis. Results: Findings from these surveys on selected health status indicators/health outcomes were compared with the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Compared with Whites, Blacks/African Americans report higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis, while Hispanics report higher rates of hypertension, obesity, and diabetes and a comparatively lower rate of arthritis. Conclusions: While socioeconomic status accounts for much of the difference in functional status associated with certain chronic diseases in the aging population users of primary health centers, it plays a relatively small role in explaining differences in the occurrence of chronic disease, probably shimmering diverse contributory pathways.

Learning Objectives:

• To describe the relationships between health insurance status, poverty levels, marital status, age groups, educational levels and selected racial/ethnic differences in the elderly subpopulation health in community health centers.
• To examine the association between socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic differences in functional status among elders (or aging subgroups) with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis.

Keywords: Access to Care, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.