Distribution of African Americans in residential care/assisted living and nursing homes: More evidence of racial disparity?

Objectives. In this study, we examined racial separation in long-term care. Methods. We used a survey of a stratified sample of 181 residential care/assisted living (RC/AL) facilities and 39 nursing homes in 4 states. Results. Most African Americans resided in nursing homes and smaller RC/AL facilities and tended to be concentrated in a few predominantly African American facilities, whereas the vast majority of Whites resided in predominantly White facilities. Facilities housing African Americans tended to be located in rural, nonpoor, African American communities, to admit individuals with mental retardation and difficulty in ambulating, and to have lower ratings of cleanliness/maintenance and lighting. Conclusions. These racial disparities may result from economic factors, exclusionary practices, or resident choice. Whether separation relates to inequities in care is undetermined.