CHANGES IN SOURCES OF COMMUNITY LONG-TERM-CARE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANAND WHITE FRAIL OLDER PERSONS

This study examined race differences in changes in source of long-term care. We addressed the following questions: (1) Are there differences between African Americans and Whites in the patterns of transitions a mong community long-term care, institutionalization, and death? (2) A re there differences between African American and White populations in sociodemographic characteristics and functional limitations influenci ng source of long-term care in a two-year follow-up sample? (3) Contro lling for socioeconomic status, health status, level of informal care, and demographic variables, are there differences between African Amer icans and Whites in patterns of change to informal and mixed (informal and formal) care among community-dwelling frail older persons? and, ( 4) What are the predictors of change patterns within African American and White populations of older frail persons? The source of data is th e longitudinal component of the 1982-1984 National Long Term Care Surv ey (NLTCS). Results of multinomial logistic analysis indicate few diff erences in change patterns, despite differences in the context of care among African American and White frail older persons.