Publications [#254371] of Keith E. Whitfield

Journal Articles

1. Thorpe, RJ; McCleary, R; Smolen, JR; Whitfield, KE; Simonsick, EM; LaVeist, T (2014). Racial disparities in disability among older adults: finding from the exploring health disparities in integrated communities study.. Journal of Aging and Health, 26(8), 1261-1279. [doi]
   (last updated on 2017/07/31)

   Abstract:
   Persistent and consistently observed racial disparities in physical functioning likely stem from racial differences in social resources and environmental conditions.We examined the association between race and reported difficulty performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in 347 African American (45.5%) and Whites aged 50 or above in the Exploring Health Disparities in Integrated Communities-Southwest Baltimore, Maryland Study (EHDIC-SWB).Contrary to previous studies, African Americans had lower rates of disability (women: 25.6% vs. 44.6%, p = .006; men: 15.7% vs. 32.9%; p = .017) than Whites. After adjusting for sociodemographics, health behaviors, and comorbidities, African American women (odds ratio [OR] = 0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.14, 0.70]) and African American men (OR = 0.34, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.90]) retained their functional advantage compared with White women and men, respectively.These findings within an integrated, low-income urban sample support efforts to ameliorate health disparities by focusing on the social context in which people live.