Abstract
Background: While financial difficulties correlate with mental and physical health status, less is known about these associations among economically disadvantaged African-American (AA) older adults.Objective: This study explored mental and physical health correlates of financial difficulties among AA older adults in low-income areas of south Los Angeles.Methods: A cross-sectional study on 740 AA older adults (age ≥ 55 years) conducted in South Los Angeles between 2015 and 2018. Independent variable was financial difficulties. Outcomes were depressive symptoms, chronic pain, chronic medical conditions, self-reported health, and sick days. Age, gender, educational attainment, living alone, marital status, smoking, and drinking were also measured. Zero order (unadjusted) and partial (adjusted) correlates of financial difficulties were calculated for data analysis. Adjusted (partial) bivariate correlations controlled for age, gender, education, marital status, living alone, and health insurance.Results: In adjusted analyses, financial difficulties were positively associated with chronic pain, chronic medical conditions, self-rated health, sick days, and depressive symptoms.Conclusion: Financial difficulties seem to be linked to chronic pain, chronic medical conditions, self-rated health, sick days, and depressive symptoms. The results advocate for evaluation of social determinants of health in providing health care of AA older adults. Addressing financial difficulties may help with the health promotion of low-income AA older adults in urban areas.
Highlights
Socioeconomic as well as racial/ethnic disparities are widely acknowledged in the United States
The current study explores the relationship between financial difficulties and a variety of demographic, social, behavioral, and health factors, as well as examines the mental and physical health correlates of financial difficulties in older AA adults living in low-income areas of south Los Angeles
While the previous research demonstrated the relationship between financial difficulties and several aspects of pain, the current study shows this relationship holds for AA samples who are especially at risk for pain mismanagement or undertreatment [71,72,73,74]
Summary
Socioeconomic as well as racial/ethnic disparities are widely acknowledged in the United States. While research has measured the relationship between financial difficulties and a variety of individual health outcomes [6,7,8], there is still much to be understood about the role of financial difficulties in the mental and physical health of older adults and racial/ethnic minority populations. Considering the economic and health disparities facing AA populations, it is crucial to understand how a variety of health outcomes relate to experiences of financial difficulties in AA populations. The current study seeks to add to the literature by exploring multiple mental and physical health correlates of financial difficulties in older AA adults, while controlling for relevant demographic and social factors. While financial difficulties correlate with mental and physical health status, less is known about these associations among economically disadvantaged AfricanAmerican (AA) older adults
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