Mortality Risk in Older Inner-City African Americans

  1. Theodore K. Malmstrom PhD1,
  2. Elena M. Andresen PhD2,3,
  3. Fredric D. Wolinsky PhD4,5,
  4. J. Philip Miller AB6,
  5. Kathryn Stamps MPH7,
  6. Douglas K. Miller MD8

Article first published online: 1 JUN 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01204.x

Issue

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Volume 55, Issue 7, pages 1049–1055, July 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Malmstrom, T. K., Andresen, E. M., Wolinsky, F. D., Philip Miller, J., Stamps, K. and Miller, D. K. (2007), Mortality Risk in Older Inner-City African Americans. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 55: 1049–1055. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01204.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    From the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri

  2. 2

    Rehabilitation Research Outcomes Center, North Florida/South Georgia VHS, Gainesville, Florida

  3. 3

    College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

  4. 4

    Center for Research in the Implementation of Innovative Strategies in Practice, Iowa City VAMC, Iowa City, Iowa

  5. 5

    Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

  6. 6

    Division of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri

  7. 7

    Navy Environmental Health Center, EpiData Center, Portsmouth, Virginia

  8. 8

    Center for Aging Research, Indiana University and Regenstrief Institute Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.

*Address correspondence to Theodore K. Malmstrom, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, 1221 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63104. E-mail: malmsttk@slu.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 18 JUN 2007
  2. Article first published online: 1 JUN 2007

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Keywords:

  • mortality;
  • African Americans;
  • lower-body disability;
  • disease;
  • health services utilization

OBJECTIVES: To investigate mortality risks in a sample of poor, inner-city-dwelling, older African Americans.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING: St. Louis, Missouri.

PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred twenty-two African Americans aged 68 to 102 at the time of their 1992 to 1994 baseline interviews.

MEASUREMENTS: Risk factors previously identified in the literature were examined for seven categories: demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, biomedical, disability and physical function, perceived health, and health services utilization. Vital status was ascertained through 2002.

RESULTS: Three hundred eighty-six subjects (62.1%) were deceased and 236 were alive (mortality higher than in matched controls). Significant risks for mortality were older age, male sex, annual income less than $10,000, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, dependencies in lower-body function, and number of physician visits in the 12 months before baseline.

CONCLUSION: In addition to improving the risk factors for stroke and malignant disease in this population, studies focused on improving lower-body functioning may be warranted as a part of efforts aimed at enhancing longevity in older African-American adults.

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