AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS

AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS
The number of African American elders in the United
States is predicted to grow from 2.9 million in 2000 to
8.6 million in 2050. The slave health deficit and
cumulative lifelong disadvantage remain for elderly
AfricanAmericans and have not narrowed over the last
50 years. Life expectancy at birth is approximately
67.8 for African American males and 74.7 for
females, and 74.0 for U.S. Virgin Islander males and
77.0 for females, in comparison to 74.6 for European
American males and 79.9 for females. This may sug-
gest that health and health care improvements benefit
African Americans at a slower pace, or that health
care innovations and services do not equally improve
the health status of African Americans as compared
with European Americans.
African Americans suffer from health disparities in
disability and deaths from heart disease, stroke, can-
cers, and other chronic diseases. Poorer socioeco-
nomic and social resources result in inadequate access
to preventive and cutting-edge medical services,
including hospitalization for a large group of middle-
age and elderly African Americans, and accumulative
health disparities in mortality and morbidity out-
comes. Although several studies indicate higher uti-
lization of certain preventive screening tests (e.g.,
mammography and Pap smears), they have not pro-
duced sufficient health benefits. African Americans
still struggle with later diagnosis of illnesses and
fewer options for follow-up care and timely treat-
ments. Diagnosis and appropriate treatment are espe-
cially problematic for those without health insurance.
Significant mental health disparities exist, yet little
is known specifically about the prevalence rates of
mental disorders and cognitive impairment among
African American elders. Severe cognitive impair-
ment, depression, and other mental health disparities
may exist over and above those which have been
accounted for by socioeconomic status and educa-
tional differences. Research on African American
elders should pursue the impact of health and other
comorbid conditions, lifelong discriminatory experi-
ences, and environmental exposures and stressors
during important developmental time periods