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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
4029.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - 8:45 AM

Abstract #113105

Mapping Functional Disability Nationally in American Indian and Alaska Native Elderly

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:

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 ] Recorded presentation

The Social Environment of Older Adults

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA