Access of the black urban elderly to medical care

Access to medical care of 492 black urban respondents 60 years of age and older was measured in a house-to-house survey in a large midwestern city. Of those in this study, 93 percent indicated that they had a regular source of medical care, and 88 percent reported a visit to a physician or clinic within the past year. These percentages are higher than those reported for the general population of elderly people in the United States. Physical limitation, general health, and mental health were related to access to medical care. Respondents who reported poorer physical and mental health were more likely to have a regular source of care and to have seen a physician in the past year.