Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113105

Margaret P. Moss, DSN, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Weaver-Densford Hall 6-101, 308 Harvard ST, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-624-2972, mossx015@umn.edu, R. Turner Goins, PhD, Center on Aging, West Virginia University, PO Box 9127, Morgantown, WV 26506, and Matthew C. Schell, MA, GIS, Dept. of Transportation, 4618 Kingsessing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143-3808.

BACKGROUND: American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIANs) experience earlier onset of chronic disease as compared to the US population and often at higher rates. Little is known about how these rates of disease translate into functional disability in AIANs. Our hypothesis was that AIAN disabilities will be greater than the rate of one in ten reported by the CDC for all races. PURPOSE: this study was to create the first national picture of disability for AIANs over age 55. METHODS: This study used the 2000 Census and the Area Resource File (ARF) to map functional disability in AIAN elderly and long-term care services using geographic information systems GIS) software. Both spatial and statistical analysis were used to understand functional disability patterns. FINDINGS: maps will be presented that show which regions have the most density of disability and the disparate rates as between White elderly and AI/AN. CONCLUSION: Our goal was to provide information from which to build an understanding of disability in AIAN elders and to provide data, which will further research inquiry in this population, as well as guide substantive and programmatic implications for gerontology.

Learning Objectives:

• To gain insight as to a first national, geographic picture of functional disability in American Indians and Alaska Native Elderly.
• To increase an understanding of access issues by 'seeing' where density of disabiliy lays in relation to services.
• To be able to compare American Indian disability patterns with those of White elderly.
• To be versed in the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to understand function patterns.

Keywords: Disability, American Indians

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation