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Is Minority Status a More Consistent Predictor of Disability Than Socioeconomic Status?

University of Oklahoma

Robert Broyles

University of Oklahoma

Applying the social and capabilities models of disability and using individuals as the unit of analysis, the authors examined the consistency of socioeconomic status and membership in a minority group as covariates of four dimensions of disability. Using the responses of 260,062 individuals to the 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the authors examined three binary variables identifying individuals who required assistive devices or experienced at least 1 day of limited activity because of physical, emotional, or mental problems or because of only physical problems. Among 55,026 respondents who experienced at least 1 day of limited activity, the authors examined variation in the number of disability days. After health needs, lifestyle risks, demographic attributes, and access to care were controlled, the results indicated that socioeconomic status is a more consistent predictor of disability than membership in a minority group.

Key Words: socioeconomic status • African Americans • minority • health disparities • disability disparities • American Indian

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