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

Abstract #109441

Gwyn C. Jones, PhD, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mail Stop E88, Atlanta, GA 30333, (404) 498-4493, gbj4@cdc.gov

Objectives: To examine and compare health disparities among African-Americans within the disability community. To examine and compare health disparities among African American adults with and without disabilities.

Methods: We used multiple years or NHIS data to examine health disparities among African-Americans with disabilities with bivariate and multivariate analyses. We targeted health conditions and health risk behaviors of national interest, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. In the multivariate analyses we adjusted for age, sex, and disability status.

Results: African-Americans have a higher rate of disability than their prevalence in the general population would suggest (15.8%). They are significantly more likely to have hypertension (43.8%), diabetes (13.9%), and obesity (39.9%) than Caucasian adults with disabilities (28.0%, 7.6%, and 22.8% respectively) and among non-disabled African-Americans (17.2%, 3.1%, and 14.5% respectively). In the multivariate analyses, African-Americans with disabilities had twice the odds of having hypertension and diabetes, and 1.5 times the odds of having obesity, as Caucasians with disabilities did.

Conclusions: African-Americans with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to health disparities, when compared with other adults with disabilities and with non-disabled African-Americans. Health promotion programs for African-Americans with disabilities should identify and vigorously address barriers to preventive care and health promotion that are environmental, economic, cultural, and disability-related.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the severity of health disparities experienced by African-Americans with disabilities
• To recognize preventable health risks to African-Americans with disabilities that should be targeted for timely intervention

Keywords: African American, Disability

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