Multiracial, Racial Disparities in Health Are Striking – Center for Retirement Research

It does not seem like an exaggeration to say that the difference in the lives of White and Black adults is shocking.

A 51-year-old woman has as poor health as a 69-year-old White woman. A 51-year-old black man is in the same situation as a 64-year-old white man. Hispanic men and women, aged 51, are also older than Whites. But older black Americans still have very poor health.

These are just a few of the ways researchers have recently documented what they call “massive health inequalities” in this country. Health conditions that affect people as they age are also a driver of who goes on government disability, how long they can work, and how long they stay healthy. In fact, health disparities at age 55 often explain half of the Black-White gaps where they end later in life.

Both black and Hispanic men and women in their 50s are more likely to have many health problems, with diabetes and obesity at the top of that list. But each group stands out for different reasons. White women in their late 50s, for example, are more likely to smoke than women of color at some point in their lives.

In this study, the researchers created six indicators of weakness, for Black, Hispanic, and White men and for Black, Hispanic, and White women. The indicators, which were the basis of two sets of comparisons – for men and women – tracked 35 medical conditions and functional deficits over two decades. They range from the common, like arthritis, to cancer, which is rare. Diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, lung disease and stroke are also recorded. Endurance and executive function are measured by tasks such as being able to climb a few flights of stairs and manage personal medication and money.

The overall patterns will emerge from the study of racial and ethnic disparities. About 12 percent of older White men have a health deficit of 35 on the frailty index. This is the case for only 6 percent of older Black men and about 10 percent of older Hispanic men. The size is the same for women.

Health inequalities are also evident between many health deficiencies and 35 efficiency. In one extreme example, White women have only one condition worse than Black women: a lung cancer diagnosis, which is undoubtedly related to higher rates of smoking.

The relatively poor health of blacks and Hispanics also makes a difference in their later decisions. Black men and women are the most likely to go on federal disability benefits, researchers have found. In the past, frail health is a major reason why older Hispanic men in particular start their Social Security benefits early, but that is less common for women.

Older Americans in poor health are, predictably, more likely to end up in a nursing home. But unhealthy white women are at greater risk of entering a nursing home than unhealthy Hispanic women. The authors do not explain this difference, but other studies have shown that aging Hispanics and Blacks tend to avoid nursing homes because they live with an older child or other caregiver.

Researchers have found some disadvantages for older Whites. But the evidence strongly points to “significant health disparities” by race and ethnicity.

Reading this learn by Nicolò Russo, Rory McGee, Mariacristina DeNardi, Margherita Borella and Ross Abram, see “Health Disparities by Race and Ethnicity.”

The research reported here is derived in whole or in part from research activities conducted pursuant to a grant from the US Social Security Administration (SSA) funded as part of the Retirement and Disability Research Consortium. The opinions and conclusions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policy of SSA, any federal government agency, or Boston College. Neither the United States government nor any of its agencies, nor any of its employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal responsibility or liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the contents of this report. Reference herein to any particular commercial product, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not imply endorsement, recommendation or favor by the United States Government or any agency thereof.