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

Abstract #69973

Kellee White and Ana F. Abraído-Lanza, PhD. Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168 Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10032, 212 304 5849, kw2014@columbia.edu

An inverse relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and poor health is well-documented. Lower SES contributes to greater morbidity of many diseases that could potentially lead to higher rates of disability. On average, Latinos and African-Americans have a lower SES profile than do non-Latino whites, and a higher prevalence rate of potentially disabling conditions. The purpose of this study, therefore was to examine whether ethnic differences in disability remain after controlling for SES. Utilizing the 1994 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) on Disability, we investigated factors underlying these disparities. The NHIS contains a representative sample of the U.S. population, including 107,469 persons, of whom 10,783 (10.03%) are Latinos and (13.9%) are African-American (non-Latino). Sample weights were used to account for the NHIS sampling design. Disability scores assessed difficulty in completing activities of daily living (ADL). African-Americans had a higher disability score than did Latinos and non-Latino whites; and Latinos had a lower mean disability score relative to non-Latino whites. With respect to occupation, Latinos (6.4%) and African-Americans (7.6%) were underrepresented in high prestigious jobs when compared with non-Latino whites (15.7%). Further, Latinos and African-Americans were overrepresented in physically demanding occupations. Hierarchical multivariate regression analyses indicated that ethnicity was not a significant predictor of disability after controlling for age, gender, and SES (income, education, and occupation). Of the SES variables examined, occupation was the strongest predictor, however with a modest â (0.11). Therefore, we conclude that SES differences between non-Latino whites and African-Americans may contribute to disparities in disability.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to:
• Identify factors that contribute to racial/ethnic differences in disability.
• Understand the structural factors that attribute to racial/ethnic disparities in health.

Keywords: Minority Health, Disability

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.