Work

Prevalence of functional limitations among foreign and US-born Black older adults: 2010–2016 National Health Interview Surveys

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the prevalence of functional limitations in United States (US) born differs from that of foreign-born Black older adults. DESIGN: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from 14,438 US-born and 1583 foreign-born Black older adults (≥50 years) in the 2010-2016 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS). Functional limitations were defined by upper and lower extremity limitations, and global functional limitations. Generalized linear modeling using a Poisson distribution and logarithmic link function was used to compare the predicted probabilities of functional limitations in both groups. RESULTS: < .001) extremity limitations than foreign-born Blacks. The prevalence of lower extremity limitations was 22% less in foreign-born Blacks compared to US-born Blacks after adjusting for sociodemographic and health profiles (Prevalence Ratio [PR]: 0.78, 95% CI:0.73-0.84). The adjusted prevalence of upper extremity limitations in foreign-born Blacks was 27% (PR: 0.73, 95% CI: [0.68-0.79]), compared to US-born Black older adults. And that of global functional limitations was 22% less (PR: 0.78, 95% CI [0.73-0.83]) in foreign-born compared to US-born Blacks. CONCLUSION: Compared to their US-born counterparts, foreign-born Black older adults had a markedly lower prevalence of upper and lower extremity functional limitations. Future comparative studies should examine reasons for this apparent health advantage among foreign-born adults to inform social and medical interventions to prevent functional decline in Black older adults in the US.

Source: Ethnicity and Health

DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2019.1661357