Racial and ethnic disparities in mobility device use in late life

被引:29
作者
Cornman, Jennifer C. [1 ]
Freedman, Vicki A. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Med & Dent New Jersey, Dept Hlth Syst & Policy, Sch Publ Hlth, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 USA
来源
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES | 2008年 / 63卷 / 01期
关键词
race and ethnicity; mobility device use; older adults; disparities;
D O I
10.1093/geronb/63.1.S34
中图分类号
R592 [老年病学]; C [社会科学总论];
学科分类号
03 ; 0303 ; 100203 ;
摘要
Objectives. Although racial and ethnic disparities in disability are well established and technology is increasingly used to bridge gaps between functional deficits and environmental demands, little research has focused on racial and ethnic disparities in device use. This study investigated whether use of mobility devices differs by race and ethnicity and explored several reasons for this difference. Methods. The sample included community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older from the 2002 and 2004 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We used predisposing, need, and enabling factors to predict mobility device use alone and combined with personal care. Results. Blacks had the highest rates of using mobility devices, followed by Hispanics and then Whites. Need and enabling factors explained differences between Blacks and Whites in wheelchair use but not cane use or use of devices without personal care. Other predisposing factors explained most differences between Hispanics and Whites. Discussion. Because minorities appear to be using mobility devices in proportion to underlying need, increasing device use by minorities may not reduce disparities in mobility disability. Efforts to address racial/ethnic disparities in mobility disability in late life, therefore, may need to focus on differences in underlying functional decline rather than the accommodation of it.
引用
收藏
页码:S34 / S41
页数:8
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