@article {7698, title = {Racial and ethnic differences in hypertension risk: new diagnoses after age 50.}, journal = {Ethn Dis}, volume = {22}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Spring}, pages = {175-80}, publisher = {22}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Our study examines the differences in estimated risk of developing hypertension in Whites, Blacks, and Mexican-Americans aged > or = 50 for a period of 11 years.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Data came from 9,259 respondents who reported being hypertension-free at the baseline in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) with up to five time intervals (1998-2006). Discrete-time survival models were used to analyze ethnic variations in the probability of developing hypertension.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Estimated odds of developing hypertension.

RESULTS: The risk of newly diagnosed hypertension increased between 1995 and 2006 for HRS participants aged > or = 50. After adjusting for demographic and health status, the probability of incident hypertension among Black Americans was .10 during the period of 1995/96-1998, which increased steadily to .17 in 2004-2006, with cumulative incidence over the 11-year period at 51\%. In contrast, among White Americans the risk was .07 during 1995/96-1998 and .13 in 2004-2006, with cumulative incidence at 43\%. For Mexican-Americans, the probability also increased from .08 during 1995/ 96-1998 to .14 during 2004-2006, with cumulative incidence at 42\%.

CONCLUSIONS: Relative to White and Mexican-Americans, Black Americans had an elevated risk of incident hypertension throughout the 11-year period of observation. These variations persisted even when differences in health behaviors, socioeconomic status, demographic, and time-varying health characteristics were accounted for.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Black or African American, Cohort Studies, Female, Health Status Disparities, Humans, Hypertension, Incidence, Male, Mexican Americans, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic factors, White People}, issn = {1049-510X}, author = {A. R. Quinones and Jersey Liang and Wen Ye} } @article {7629, title = {How does the trajectory of multimorbidity vary across Black, White, and Mexican Americans in middle and old age?}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {66}, year = {2011}, note = {Quinones, Ana R Liang, Jersey Bennett, Joan M Xu, Xiao Ye, Wen F31-AG029783/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States R01-AG015124/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States R01-AG028116/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States Comparative Study Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural United States The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2011 Nov;66(6):739-49. Epub 2011 Oct 3.}, month = {2011 Nov}, pages = {739-49}, publisher = {66}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: This research examines intra- and interpersonal differences in multiple chronic conditions reported by Americans aged 51 and older for a period up to 11 years. It focuses on how changes in multimorbidity vary across White, Black, and Mexican Americans.

METHODS: Data came from 17,517 respondents of the Health and Retirement Study (1995-2006) with up to 5 repeated observations. Hierarchical linear models were employed to analyze ethnic variations in temporal changes of reported comorbidities.

FINDINGS: Middle-aged and older Americans have on average nearly 2 chronic diseases at the baseline, which increased to almost 3 conditions in 11 years. White Americans differ from Black and Mexican Americans in terms of level and rate of change of multimorbidity. Mexican Americans demonstrate lower initial levels and slower accumulation of comorbidities relative to Whites. In contrast, Blacks showed an elevated level of multimorbidity throughout the 11-year period of observation, although their rate of change slowed relative to Whites.

DISCUSSION: These results suggest that health differences between Black Americans and other ethnic groups including White and Mexican Americans persist in the trajectory of multimorbidity even when population heterogeneity is adjusted. Further research is needed concerning the impact of health disadvantages and differential mortality that may have occurred before middle age as well as exploring the role of nativity, the nature of self-reported diseases, and heterogeneity underlying the average trajectory of multimorbidity for ethnic elders.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Black or African American, Chronic disease, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Behavior, Health Status Disparities, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Linear Models, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, United States, White People}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbr106}, author = {Ana R Qui{\~n}ones and Jersey Liang and Joan M. Bennett and Xiao Xu and Wen Ye} } @article {7636, title = {Multiple trajectories of depressive symptoms in middle and late life: racial/ethnic variations.}, journal = {Psychol Aging}, volume = {26}, year = {2011}, note = {Liang, Jersey Xu, Xiao Quinones, Ana R Bennett, Joan M Ye, Wen 5P30AG024824/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States R01-AG015124/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States R01-AG028116/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States UL1RR024986/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/United States Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t Research Support, U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}t, Non-P.H.S. United States Psychology and aging Psychol Aging. 2011 Dec;26(4):761-77. Epub 2011 Aug 29.}, month = {2011 Dec}, pages = {761-77}, publisher = {26}, abstract = {

This research aims to identify distinct courses of depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Americans and to ascertain how these courses vary by race/ethnicity. Data came from the 1995-2006 Health and Retirement Study which involved a national sample of 17,196 Americans over 50 years of age with up to six repeated observations. Depressive symptoms were measured by an abbreviated version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Semiparametric group based mixture models (Proc Traj) were used for data analysis. Six major trajectories were identified: (a) minimal depressive symptoms (15.9\%), (b) low depressive symptoms (36.3\%), (c) moderate and stable depressive symptoms (29.2\%), (d) high but decreasing depressive symptoms (6.6\%), (e) moderate but increasing depressive symptoms (8.3\%), and (f) persistently high depressive symptoms (3.6\%). Adjustment of time-varying covariates (e.g., income and health conditions) resulted in a similar set of distinct trajectories. Relative to White Americans, Black and Hispanic Americans were significantly more likely to be in trajectories of more elevated depressive symptoms. In addition, they were more likely to experience increasing and decreasing depressive symptoms. Racial and ethnic variations in trajectory groups were partially mediated by SES, marital status, and health conditions, particularly when both interpersonal and intrapersonal differences in these variables were taken into account.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Black or African American, depression, disease progression, Female, Health Status Disparities, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Statistical, Socioeconomic factors, Time Factors, United States, White People}, issn = {1939-1498}, doi = {10.1037/a0023945}, author = {Jersey Liang and Xiao Xu and Ana R Qui{\~n}ones and Joan M. Bennett and Wen Ye} } @article {7406, title = {Ethnicity and changing functional health in middle and late life: a person-centered approach.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {65}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Jul}, pages = {470-81}, publisher = {65}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Following a person-centered approach, this research aims to depict distinct courses of disability and to ascertain how the probabilities of experiencing these trajectories vary across Black, Hispanic, and White middle-aged and older Americans.

METHODS: Data came from the 1995-2006 Health and Retirement Study, which involved a national sample of 18,486 Americans older than 50 years of age. Group-based semiparametric mixture models (Proc Traj) were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: Five trajectories were identified: (a) excellent functional health (61\%), (b) good functional health with small increasing disability (25\%), (c) accelerated increase in disability (7\%), (d) high but stable disability (4\%), and (e) persistent severe impairment (3\%). However, when time-varying covariates (e.g., martial status and health conditions) were controlled, only 3 trajectories emerged: (a) healthy functioning (53\%), moderate functional decrement (40\%), and (c) large functional decrement (8\%). Black and Hispanic Americans had significantly higher probabilities than White Americans in experiencing poor functional health trajectories, with Blacks at greater risks than Hispanics.

CONCLUSIONS: Parallel to the concepts of successful aging, usual aging, and pathological aging, there exist distinct courses of changing functional health over time. The mechanisms underlying changes in disability may vary between Black and Hispanic Americans.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Black or African American, Disabled Persons, disease progression, ethnicity, Female, Health Status, Health Status Disparities, Health Surveys, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Likelihood Functions, Male, Marital Status, Middle Aged, Time Factors, United States, White People}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbp114}, author = {Jersey Liang and Xiao Xu and Joan M. Bennett and Wen Ye and Ana R Qui{\~n}ones} } @article {7543, title = {Evolving self-rated health in middle and old age: how does it differ across Black, Hispanic, and White Americans?}, journal = {J Aging Health}, volume = {22}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Feb}, pages = {3-26}, publisher = {22}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: This research focuses on ethnic variations in the intraindividual changes in self-rated health.

METHOD: Data came from the Health and Retirement Study involving up to 6 repeated observations between 1995 and 2006 of a national sample of 18,486 Americans above 50 years of age. Hierarchical linear models were employed in depicting variations in self-rated health across White, Black, and Hispanic Americans.

RESULTS: Subjective health worsened over time albeit moderately. Relative to younger persons, older individuals rated their health poorer with a greater rate of deteriorating health. With reference to ethnic variations in the intercept and slope of perceived health, White Americans rated their health most positively, followed by Black Americans, with Hispanics rating their health least positively. This pattern held even when socioeconomic status, social networks, and prior health were adjusted.

DISCUSSION: Significant ethnic differences exist in the evolvement of self-rated health in middle and late life. Further inquiries may include analyzing ethnic heterogeneities from a person-centered perspective, health disparities across subgroups of Hispanics, effects of neighborhood attributes, and implications of left truncation.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Aging, Black or African American, Diagnostic Self Evaluation, Female, Health Status Disparities, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Linear Models, Male, Middle Aged, United States, White People}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/0898264309348877}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2833212/}, author = {Jersey Liang and A. R. Quinones and Joan M. Bennett and Wen Ye and Xiao Xu and Benjamin A Shaw and Mary Beth Ofstedal} }