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Racial differences in functional status among elderly U.S. migrants from the South
R Kington1, D Carlisle, D McCaffrey
1RAND, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|August 5, 1998
Summary
Functional status in older adults varies by race and Southern migration history. Black migrants from the South showed better functional status than non-migrants, unlike white migrants.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology of Health and Aging
- Public Health
Background:
- Geographic variations in health and functional status among older adults are influenced by race and migration.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for targeted health interventions and policies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between birth in/migration from the US South and functional status in older Black and White adults.
- To compare functional status patterns across different race and migration groups.
Main Methods:
- Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess functional status.
- Data included US-born non-Hispanic Black (N=1868) and White (N=13469) adults aged 60+.
Main Results:
- Older Black adults born in the South who migrated had functional status similar to those born outside the South and better than non-migrant Southern-born Blacks.
- Older White adults who migrated from the South had functional status similar to non-migrants and worse than those born outside the South.
- Socioeconomic status did not account for racial or migration-related differences in functional status.
Conclusions:
- Migration history impacts functional status differently across racial groups, diverging from mortality patterns.
- Selective migration and survival likely explain complex racial differences in health and function distribution.