RACE DIFFERENCES IN THE HEALTH OF ELDERS WHO LIVE ALONE

This investigation was initiated to determine whether older African Am ericans who live alone are in poorer health than their White counterpa rts who live under the same circumstances. Data on 5 measures of healt h were collected in telephone interviews with a stratified random samp le of community-dwelling elders (n=1,189). Analysis of weighted data i ndicate that there were fewer differences in health by race among olde r persons who lived alone compared to elders who lived with others. Wh ere racial differences in health did exist among older adults who live d alone, the differences could only sometimes be accounted for by popu lation composition factors that are known to influence health.