The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of use of long-term care services among and between African-American, Hispanic and White older persons. We combine a substantive and methodological focus to accomplish the following objectives: la) To determine the effect of socioeconomic status, family structure, and health status on long-term care service use by minority groups; 1b) To determine the replicability and validity of results across four national data sets: Survey of Income and Program Participants (SIPP), Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA), National Medical Expenditure, Survey (NMES), and National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS); 2a) To investigate the cultural and linguistic meaning of selected long-term care constructs; and, 2b) To determine culturally appropriate items for future studies of long-term services by minority elderly. Specific research questions are: 1. Do African-Americans, Hispanics and White elderly differ in the degree to which they have access to medical care? Are the determinants of access the same or different for each group? 2. Do African-Americans, Hispanics, and White elderly differ in the degree to which they have access to long term care? Are the determinants of access the same or different for each group? 3. Are patterns or informal and formal care similar or different across race/ethnic groups? Are the determinants of these patterns the same or different for each group? 4. Are there race/ethnic group differences in rates of transition from informal care to mixed informal and formal care or to purely formal care? and, 5. How do African-American and Hispanic respondents understand and interpret the concepts of income, family structure, health and functional status used in the national surveys of long-term care services? This four year study will combine secondary analyses of national data sets and cognitive survey procedures with purposive samples of African-American and Hispanic elderly. A Community Advisory Group will provide consultation on interpretation and salience of findings for minority elderly. Results will contribute first, to knowledge of the extent to which minorities have blocked access to long-term care services as a result of income, family structure, and culturally-defined attitudes; and second, to the development of survey questions that are relevant and culturally sensitive across cultural and socioeconomic groups.
| Miller, B; Campbell, R T; Furner, S et al. (1997) Use of medical care by African American and White older persons: comparative analysis of three national data sets. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 52:S325-35 |
