Black and white female nursing home residents: does health status differ?

There will be greater numbers of Black female nursing home residents in the future, but past emphasis has been on the study of Black older adults in the community. The purpose of this study was to assess the health status stability of newly admitted female nursing home residents and to analyze Black-White differences in health status and health status stability.

Health status (mental status, activities of daily living [ADLs], self-reported mood, self-reported health) of Black (n = 98) and White (n = 260) female nursing home residents was evaluated during their first two weeks of residence. Time, race, and their interaction effects on health status were analyzed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance.

All health status data showed stability or improvement, but there were significant race differences in both health status and health status stability. Black female residents had worse mental status and worse ADLs, and reported less alert mood, less tired mood, and better health. Race differences in stability were evident for hygiene, dressing, ambulation, and transferring ADLs: Black female residents were less likely to show improvements over time.

Black female residents are an at-risk population for special care needs in nursing homes.