As the population of older Americans grows, it is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Differences in health by racial and ethnic status could be increasingly consequential for health policy and programs. Such differences are not simply a matter of education or ability to pay for health care. For instance, Asian Americans and Hispanics appear to be in better health, on a number of indicators, than White Americans, despite, on average, lower socioeconomic status. The reasons are complex, including possible roles for such factors as selective migration, risk behaviors, exposure to various stressors, patient attitudes, and geographic variation in health care.


This volume, produced by a multidisciplinary panel, considers such possible explanations for racial and ethnic health differentials within an integrated framework. It provides a concise summary of available research and lays out a research agenda to address the many uncertainties in current knowledge. It recommends, for instance, looking at health differentials across the life course and deciphering the links between factors presumably producing differentials and biopsychosocial mechanisms that lead to impaired health.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 The Nature of Racial and Ethnic Differences
2 Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Differences
3 Genetic Influences
4 Socioeconomic Factors
5 Behavior Risk Factors
6 Social and Personal Resources
7 Prejudice and Discrimination
8 Stress
9 Biopsychosocial Interactions
10 Health Care
11 The Life Course
12 Interventions
References
Appendix: Contents, Critical Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life
Biographical Sketches
Index