Everyday Discrimination Is Associated With Higher Odds of Hospitalizations Among Older African Americans.

BACKGROUND: Everyday discrimination-experiences of being treated unfairly based on background characteristics like race-is linked to poor physical and mental health throughout the lifespan. Whether more experiences of discrimination are associated with higher odds of being hospitalized in older African Americans has not been explored. METHODS: Community-dwelling participants from 3 longitudinal cohort studies (N = 446, age 65+ years) with discrimination scores and ≥12 months of linked Medicare claims were included. Hospitalizations were identified using Medicare fee-for-service claims, available for an average of 6.2 (SD: 3.7) years of follow-up after baseline. RESULTS: In mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression models (outcomes of 0, 1, or 2+ hospitalizations per year) adjusted for age, sex, education, and income, higher discrimination was associated with higher odds of total annual hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR] per point higher = 1.09, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 1.02-1.17). Results were similar when accounting for depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Higher exposure to everyday discrimination is associated with higher odds of hospitalization among older African Americans. Mechanisms underlying associations should be explored further to understand how hospitalizations may be reduced in older African Americans.

Identification of Dementia in Medicare Claims Compared to Rigorous Clinical Assessments in African Americans.

BACKGROUND: Evidence indicates the health care system disproportionately misses dementia in African American compared to White individuals. In preliminary data, we examined factors related to dementia identification by the health care system among African Americans. METHODS: We leveraged linked Medicare fee-for-service claims and detailed annual cohort evaluations in African Americans from 4 cohorts at Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center. RESULTS: Among 88 African Americans with cognitive impairment (mean = 10 years follow-up), Medicare claims identified dementia <2 years from cohort diagnosis in 55%; 27% were identified 2-9.9 years after cohort diagnosis, and in 18% there was either no claims diagnosis during the study period, or claims identified dementia 10+ years after cohort diagnosis. Claims identification of dementia was related to older age at cohort diagnosis (eg, <2 years between cohort and claims: mean = 82 years; 10+ years/no diagnosis: mean = 77 years, p = .04), lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (<2 years: mean = 24; 10+ years/no diagnosis: mean = 26, p = .04), more depressive symptoms (<2 years: mean = 2.1 symptoms; 10+ years/no diagnosis: mean = 1.2, p = .04), and more comorbidity (<2 years: mean = 5.6 comorbidities; 10+ years/no diagnosis, mean = 3.0, p = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Among African Americans, preliminary data indicate the health care system most rapidly identifies dementia in older individuals, with worse cognitive and physical health. The health care system may miss opportunities for early support of African Americans with dementia, and caregivers.

Financial Risk Aversion Among Older Black and White Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Risk aversion has a substantial impact on decision making and is associated with key demographic characteristics. However, few studies have investigated whether risk aversion varies by race. METHODS: We investigated racial differences in financial risk aversion in 684 older Black and White adults without dementia in the Minority Aging Research Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project matched for age, education, sex, and cognition using Mahalanobis distance. We also investigated whether select contextual factors (self-reported discrimination, socioeconomic status, and literacy) mediated or affective factors (trust, loneliness, and neuroticism) moderated any observed racial differences. RESULTS: In regression models adjusted for age, education, sex, and cognitive function, older Black adults were more risk averse than older White adults (Beta = 0.1264, standard error = 0.0227, p value ≤ .00001). None of the contextual or affective factors mediated or moderated this association. DISCUSSION: Older Black adults are more financially risk averse than older White adults. Because risk aversion may be associated with important financial and health outcomes in older age, more research is needed to investigate the reasons for this difference.

Race and sex differences in the longitudinal changes in multidimensional self-reported sleep health characteristics in aging older adults.

OBJECTIVES: We examined within-individual changes in self-reported sleep health as community-dwelling older adults age as well as potential differences in these changes by self-reported sex and racial identity. METHODS: Participants were from the United States and enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, Minority Aging Research Study, or Religious Orders Study (N = 3539, 20% Black, 75% female, mean 78years [range 65-103]), and they received annual, in-person clinical evaluations (median 5 visits [range 1-27]). A sleep health composite score measured the number of poor sleep characteristics among satisfaction, daytime sleepiness, efficiency, and duration. Mixed effects models estimated associations of age, race, sex, and their interactions on the composite and individual sleep measures, accounting for key confounders. RESULTS: As they aged, Black participants shifted from reporting two poor sleep characteristics to one poor sleep characteristic, while White participants shifted from one poor characteristic to two. Regardless of age, sex, and race, participants reported that they "often" felt satisfied with their sleep and "sometimes" had trouble staying asleep. Females over age 85 and males of all ages reported the most daytime sleepiness, and older White participants (>age 90) reported the most difficulty falling asleep. CONCLUSIONS: Although self-reported sleep characteristics were typically stable across age, identifying race and sex differences in self-reported sleep health can help guide future research to understand the mechanisms that underlie these differences.

Neighborhood-level social vulnerability and individual-level cognitive and motor functioning over time in older non-Latino Black and Latino adults.

Introduction: Despite known health disparities in cognitive aging, a comprehensive rationale for the increased burden in older minoritized populations including non-Latino Black and Latino adults has yet to be elucidated. While most work has focused on person-specific risk, studies are increasingly assessing neighborhood-level risk. We evaluated multiple aspects of the environmental milieu that may be critical when considering vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. Methods: We investigated associations between a Census-tract derived Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and level of and change in cognitive and motor functioning in 780 older adults (590 non-Latino Black adults, ∼73 years old at baseline; 190 Latinos, ∼70 years old baseline). Total SVI scores (higher = greater neighborhood-level vulnerability) were combined with annual evaluations of cognitive and motor functioning (follow-up ranged from 2 to 18 years). Demographically-adjusted mixed linear regression models tested for associations between SVI and cognitive and motor outcomes in analyses stratified by ethno-racial group. Results: For non-Latino Black participants, higher SVI scores were associated with lower levels of global cognitive and motor functioning-specifically, episodic memory, motor dexterity and gait-as well as longitudinal change in visuospatial abilities and hand strength. For Latinos, higher SVI scores were associated with lower levels of global motor functioning only-specifically, motor dexterity; there were no significant associations between SVI and change in motor functioning. Discussion: Neighborhood-level social vulnerability is associated with cognitive and motor functioning in non-Latino Black and Latino older adults, although associations appear to contribute to level more so than longitudinal change.

Evaluating interpersonal discrimination and depressive symptoms as partial mediators of the effects of education on cognition: Evidence from the Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR).

INTRODUCTION: Education is correlated with positive health outcomes, but associations are sometimes weaker among African Americans. The extent to which exposure to discrimination and depressive symptoms attenuates the education-cognition link has not been investigated. METHODS: Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR) participants (n = 764; average age 69 years) completed the Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales. We assessed everyday and major lifetime discrimination and depressive symptoms as mediators of education effects on cognition using G-estimation with measurement error corrections. RESULTS: Education was correlated with greater major lifetime and everyday discrimination but lower depressive symptoms. Accounting for discrimination and depressive symptoms slightly reduced the estimated effect of education on cognition. The estimated total effect of graduate education (vs 

Financial fragility and scam susceptibility in community dwelling older adults.

We tested the hypothesis that financial fragility is associated with higher scam susceptibility in older adults without dementia. Data came from nearly 900 community-dwelling participants from two ongoing cohort studies of aging. Financial fragility was determined by assessing an individual's ability to access $2,000 within a month for an unexpected expense. Scam susceptibility was assessed via a 5-item instrument that measures perceptions and behaviors that predispose older adults to financial fraud and scams. On average, participants were 82 years of age. Nearly 10% reported financial fragility. Financial fragility was higher in Blacks and among those with fewer years of education, lower income, lower global cognition, lower literacy, and poorer financial decision-making. Regression analysis revealed that financially fragile older adults were more susceptible to scams. These data suggest that targeted efforts to reduce financial fragility and improve literacy and cognitive health are needed to prevent elder exploitation among diverse populations.

Derivation and validation of the Rapid Assessment of Dementia Risk (RADaR) for older adults.

BACKGROUND: There is no practical dementia risk score in the clinical setting. OBJECTIVE: To derive and validate a score obtained by a rapid and simple assessment, which guides primary care providers in predicting the risk of dementia among older adults. DESIGN: A total of 4178 participants from three longitudinal cohorts (mean age at baseline = 76.8 [SD = 7.6] years), without baseline dementia, followed annually for a median of 10 years (IQR: 5 to16 years, Reverse Kaplan-Meier). PARTICIPANTS: To derive the score, we used data from 1,780 participants from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (93% White). To validate the score, we used data from 1,299 participants from the Religious Order Study (92% White), and to assess generalizability, 679 participants from the Minority Aging Research Study (100% Black). MEASUREMENTS: Clinician-based dementia diagnosis at any time after baseline and predictive variables associated with dementia risk that can be collected in a primary care setting: demographics, clinical indicators, medical history, memory complaints, cognitive and motor tests, and questions to assess functional disability, depressive symptoms, sleep, social isolation, and genetics (APOE e4 and AD polygenic risk score). RESULTS: At baseline, age, memory complaint, the ability to handle finances, the recall of the month, recall of the room, and recall of three words, were associated with the cumulative incidence of dementia, in the derivation cohort. The discrimination of the RADaR (Rapid Risk Assessment of Dementia) was good for the derivation and external-validation cohorts (AUC3 years = 0.82-0.86), compared to the overall discrimination of age alone (AUC3 years = 0.73), a major risk factor for dementia. Adding genetic data did not increase discrimination. LIMITATIONS: Participants were volunteers, may not represent the general population. CONCLUSIONS: The RADaR, derived from community-dwelling older persons, is a brief and valid tool to predict dementia risk at 3 years in older White and Black persons.

Identification of Dementia in Recent Medicare Claims Data, Compared With Rigorous Clinical Assessments.

BACKGROUND: Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims data are increasingly leveraged for dementia research. Few studies address the validity of recent claim data to identify dementia, or carefully evaluate characteristics of those assigned the wrong diagnosis in claims. METHODS: We used claims data from 2014 to 2018, linked to participants administered rigorous, annual dementia evaluations in 5 cohorts at the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center. We compared prevalent dementia diagnosed through the 2016 cohort evaluation versus claims identification of dementia, applying the Bynum-standard algorithm. RESULTS: Of 1 054 participants with Medicare Parts A and B FFS in a 3-year window surrounding their 2016 index date, 136 had prevalent dementia diagnosed during cohort evaluations; the claims algorithm yielded 217. Sensitivity of claims diagnosis was 79%, specificity 88%, positive predictive value 50%, negative predictive value 97%, and overall accuracy 87%. White participants were disproportionately represented among detected dementia cases (true positive) versus cases missed (false negative) by claims (90% vs 75%, respectively, p = .04). Dementia appeared more severe in detected than missed cases in claims (mean Mini-Mental State Exam = 15.4 vs 22.0, respectively, p < .001; 28% with no limitations in activities of daily living versus 45%, p = .046). By contrast, those with "over-diagnosis" of dementia in claims (false positive) had several worse health indicators than true negatives (eg, self-reported memory concerns = 51% vs 29%, respectively, p < .001; mild cognitive impairment in cohort evaluation = 72% vs 44%, p < .001; mean comorbidities = 7 vs 4, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Recent Medicare claims perform reasonably well in identifying dementia; however, there are consistent differences in cases of dementia identified through claims than in rigorous cohort evaluations.

Correlates of perceived stress among community-dwelling older African Americans.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify correlates of perceived stress among older African Americans. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Guided by the National Institute on Aging's (NIA) Health Disparities Research Framework, we grouped correlates into four levels-environmental, sociocultural, behavioral, and biological, and performed a cross-sectional analysis using ordinal logistic regression models. Participants included 722 African Americans [mean age = 73.61 years (SD = 6.33)] from the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS). Several protective correlates from environmental (e.g., larger life space), sociocultural (e.g., larger social network size), behavioral (e.g., more purpose in life), and biological (e.g., higher global cognition) levels were associated with a lower odds of having higher levels of perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived stress was associated with established and novel correlates from every level. Future research is needed to examine how changes in these correlates may impact perceived stress in older African Americans.

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Resources and Crime-Related Psychosocial Hazards, Stroke Risk, and Cognition in Older Adults.

Living in neighborhoods with lower incomes, lower education/occupational levels, and/or higher crime increases one's risk of developing chronic health problems including cardiovascular disease risk factors and stroke. These cardiovascular health problems are known to contribute to cognitive decline and dementia. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of neighborhood socioeconomic resources and crime-related psychosocial hazards on stroke risk and cognition, hypothesizing that cardiovascular health would mediate any relationship between the neighborhood-level environment and cognition. The study evaluated 121 non-demented Chicago-area adults (~67 years; 40% non-Latino White) for cardiovascular health problems using the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile 10-year risk of stroke (FSRP-10). The cognitive domains that were tested included memory, executive functioning, and attention/information processing. Neighborhood socioeconomic resources were quantified at the census tract level (income, education, and occupation); crime-related psychosocial hazards were quantified at the point level. Structural equation modeling (SEM) did not show that the FSRP-10 mediated the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and domain-specific cognition. The SEM results did suggest that higher crime rates were associated with a higher FSRP-10 (ß(105) = 2.38, p = 0.03) and that higher FSRP-10 is associated with reduced attention/information processing performance (ß(105) = -0.04, p = 0.02) after accounting for neighborhood socioeconomic resources. Clinicians may wish to query not only individual but also neighborhood-level health when considering cognition.

Population estimate of people with clinical Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment in the United States (2020-2060).

INTRODUCTION: The estimate of people with clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment provides an understanding of the disease burden. METHODS: We estimated people with cognitive impairment using a quasibinomial regression model in 10,342 participants with cognitive test scores. RESULTS: The 2020 US Census-adjusted prevalence of clinical AD was 11.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 10.7-11.9): 10.0% among non-Hispanic Whites, 14.0% among Hispanics, and 18.6% among non-Hispanic Blacks. We estimate that in 2020, 6.07 (95% CI = 5.75-6.38) million people were living with clinical AD, which increases to 13.85 (95% CI = 12.98-14.74) million in 2060, 423% higher among Hispanics, 192% higher among Blacks, and 63% higher among Whites. However, there are predicted to be more significant increases in later years among those over 85 and women compared to men. DISCUSSION: The number of people with clinical AD will increase as the "baby boom" generation reaches older ages, exerting a strong upward influence on disease burden.

Trajectories of Multiple Behavioral Risk Factors and Their Associations With Cognitive Function Trajectories Among Older African Americans and White Americans.

Objectives: This study examined the joint trajectories of behavioral risk factors (smoking, alcohol drinking, and body mass index) and their associations with cognitive function trajectories among older African Americans and white Americans. Methods: Data from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2014) were used. Group-based mixture modeling and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Three joint trajectories of behavioral risk factors (overweight, smoking and drinking, and drinking and overweight) and three cognitive function trajectories (low, moderate, and high) were identified. A significantly higher percentage of African Americans were in the "overweight," "smoking and drinking," and "low" cognitive functioning groups as measured by the total cognition composite score compared to white Americans. After accounting for covariates, the "drinking and overweight" group was associated with the "moderate" or "high" cognitive functioning group. Discussion: Future interventions targeting the combinations of behavioral risk factors are needed to promote healthy aging among high-risk populations.

Perceived Impediments to Completed Brain Autopsies Among Diverse Older Adults Who Have Signed a Uniform Anatomical Gift Act for Brain Donation for Clinical Research.

Background: A small number of older adults in the United States who agree to brain donation for clinical research belong to diverse racial, ethnic, and economic groups. Those who agree, however, are less likely to have completed brain autopsies compared with older non-Latino Whites of higher socioeconomic status. As such, our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias remains limited in these underrepresented and understudied populations. Here, we examine perceived impediments to completed brain autopsies among diverse older adults who have agreed to brain donation for clinical research. Methods: Participants (N=22) were older adults (mean age=77 years) who self-identified as African American (n=8), Latino (n=6), or White of lower income (n=8). All participants had previously agreed to brain donation via the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. Each participant took part in a one-time, semi-structured focus group. Data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory Approach with both Open Coding and Constant Comparative Coding. Results: Perceived impediments to completed brain autopsies varied by group. Older African Americans and older Latinos expressed concern about a lack of follow-through by family members regarding their brain donation wishes. Older Whites of lower income indicated that their own uncertainty surrounding the processes of brain donation and brain autopsy might serve as an impediment. Discussion: Diverse older adults expressed different perceived impediments to having brain autopsies completed upon their death. Continuous education for diverse older adults and their family members regarding brain donation for clinical research, including clear guidelines and processes, may facilitate completed brain autopsies among diverse older adults.

The Health Equity Through Aging Research And Discussion (HEARD) Study: A Proposed Two-Phase Sequential Mixed-Methods Research Design To Understand Barriers And Facilitators Of Brain Donation Among Diverse Older Adults.

Brain donation in studies on aging remains a critical pathway to discovering and improving preventive measures and treatments for Alzheimer's dementia and related disorders. Brain donation for research is almost exclusively obtained from non-Latinx Whites of higher socioeconomic status in the United States. Despite persistent efforts, it has been difficult to obtain consent for brain donation among diverse participants. Hence, our understanding of Alzheimer's dementia and related disorders remains incomplete. The purpose of this methodological paper was to propose and outline a two-phase sequential mixed-methods research study design to identify barriers and facilitators of brain donation among diverse older adults. The first phase will consist of qualitative focus groups using a three (participant minority status: African American, Latinx, or White of lower income) by two (participant brain donation decision: consented or declined) design. The second phase will include statistical analyses of quantitative measures of existing data representing categories of variables that may be associated with decision making regarding brain donation. Next steps must include conducting qualitative focus groups and subsequent data analyses, resulting in overarching themes. Afterward, qualitative themes will be operationalized using quantitative variables for statistical analyses. This proposed study design can provide the foundation for developing and implementing effective and culturally competent survey instruments, educational tools, and intervention strategies in an effort to facilitate brain donation among diverse older adults.

Literacy Mediates Racial Differences in Financial and Healthcare Decision Making in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Decision making in financial and healthcare matters is of critical importance for well-being in old age. Preliminary work suggests racial differences in decision making; however, the factors that drive racial differences in decision making remain unclear. We hypothesized literacy, particularly financial and health literacy, mediates racial differences in decision making. DESIGN: Community-based epidemiologic cohort study. SETTING: Communities in northeastern Illinois. PARTICIPANTS: Nondemented Black participants (N = 138) of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center Minority Aging Research Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project who completed decision-making and literacy measures were matched to White participants (N = 138) according to age, education, sex, and global cognition using Mahalanobis distance (total N = 276). MEASUREMENTS: All participants completed clinical assessments, a decision-making measure that resembles real-world materials relevant to finance and healthcare, and a financial and health literacy measure. Regression models were used to examine racial differences in decision making and test the hypothesis that literacy mediates this association. In secondary analyses, we examined the impact of literacy in specific domains of decision making (financial and healthcare). RESULTS: In models adjusted for age, education, sex, and global cognition, older Black adults performed lower than older White adults on literacy (ß = -8.20; SE = 1.34; 95% CI = -10.82 to -5.57; P < .01) and separately on decision making (ß = -.80; SE = .23; 95% CI = -1.25 to -.34; P < .01). However, when decision making was regressed on both race and literacy, the association of race was attenuated and became nonsignificant (ß = -.45; SE = .24; 95% CI = -.93 to .02; P = .06), but literacy remained significantly associated with decision making (ß = .04; SE = .01; 95% CI = .02-.06; P < .01). In secondary models, a similar pattern was observed for both financial and healthcare decision making. CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences in decision making are largely mediated by literacy. These findings suggest that efforts to improve literacy may help reduce racial differences in decision making and improve health and well-being for diverse populations. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1279-1285, 2020.

Relationship of Early-Life Residence and Educational Experience to Level and Change in Cognitive Functioning: Results of the Minority Aging Research Study.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate associations of early-life residence and school segregation with cognitive change in the Minority Aging Research Study. METHODS: Four hundred ninety-eight blacks (age ~ 73.5; 75% = women) without dementia at baseline self-reported State of birth, residence at age 12, and school segregation status. Census Bureau definitions of South and Northeast/Midwest were used to categorize early-life residence. We evaluated global cognition and five cognitive domains at baseline and annually for ~7.5 years. Linear mixed effects models examined the associations of region of birth and residence at age 12 with baseline level and longitudinal change in cognition. Additional models examined school segregation experience. RESULTS: ~65% of Southern-born participants still lived in the South at age 12. Southern birth was associated with lower baseline global cognition and all cognitive domains (p-values ≤ .02) compared to Northern birth, but not cognitive change. A similar profile was seen for Southern residence at age 12. Segregation experience significantly modified associations of residence at age 12 on levels of cognition. Participants residing in the South attending a legally desegregated school demonstrated lower baseline levels of cognition (global, semantic, and working memory) than their Northeast/Midwest counterparts attending a legally desegregated or segregated school as well as their Southern counterparts attending a legally segregated school. This profile for participants attending a desegregated school in the South held for processing speed and visuospatial ability in comparisons to Northeast/Midwest counterparts, particularly those attending a legally desegregated school. CONCLUSION: Baseline cognition was poorer in individuals born and residing in the South, particularly those attending desegregated schools at age 12.

Financial and health literacy discrepancies with cognition in older adults.

OBJECTIVE: Greater financial and health literacy are associated with better cognition; however, research suggests that some individuals exhibit differences, or discrepancies, in these abilities in old age. We investigated discrepancies between literacy and cognition and factors associated with such discrepancies in older adults without dementia. METHOD: Participants (N = 714; Mage = 81.4; education: M = 15.4; 75.4% female; 5.2% non-White) from the Rush Memory and Aging Project completed cognitive assessments and a financial and health literacy measure that yielded a total literacy score. Participants were characterized into three groups: (a) total literacy scores that are more than one standard deviation (1 SD) above cognition (L > C), (b) total literacy scores falling more than 1 SD below cognition (L < C), and (c) total literacy within 1 SD of cognition (L = C). Logistic regressions were employed to investigate associations between demographic and psychosocial variables and discrepancy group status. RESULTS: Of the 714 participants, 24% showed significant discrepancies. In fully adjusted models, in reference to the L = C group, male sex was associated with greater odds of being in the L > C group (odds ratio [OR] = 2.32, 95% CI [1.33, 4.03], p = .003) and lower odds of being in the L < C group (OR = 0.31, 95% CI [0.14, 0.66], p = .002), higher income was associated with lower odds of being in either discrepancy group (L < C OR = 0.87, 95% CI [0.79, 0.96], p = .004; L > C OR = 0.86, 95% CI [0.76, 0.96], p = .007), and higher trust was associated with lower odds of being in the L > C group (OR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.85, 0.99], p = .030). CONCLUSIONS: Findings support literacy and cognition as partially dissociable constructs and highlight important factors associated with discrepancies between literacy and cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceived discrimination and health-related quality-of-life: gender differences among older African Americans.

PURPOSE: Emerging data suggest that African-American women may fare worse than African-American men in health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Perceived discrimination is an important contributor to poor health overall among African Americans, but few studies examined the intersecting effects of perceived discrimination and gender in explaining HRQOL disparities. We investigated gender differences in HRQOL and tested whether perceived discrimination accounted for these differences. METHODS: We examined data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project in which 5652 African-American adults aged 65 and older completed structured questionnaires about demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, HRQOL, perceived discrimination, and health-related variables. Logistic regression models were used to identify associations between perceived discrimination and gender differences in poor HRQOL outcomes (defined as 14+ unhealthy days in overall, physical, or mental health over the past 30 days) when controlling for the other variables. RESULTS: More women reported poor overall HRQOL than men (24 vs. 16% respectively). Higher perceived discrimination was significantly associated with worse overall HRQOL (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.08, 1.15), with stronger effects for women in overall and mental HRQOL. These gender disparities remained significant until controlling for potentially confounding variables. Perceived discrimination did not account for gender differences in poor physical HRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived discrimination is associated with poor HRQOL in older African Americans, with this association appearing stronger in women than men for mental HRQOL. These findings warrant further investigation of effects of perceived discrimination in gender disparities in overall health, and such research can inform and guide efforts for reducing these disparities.

Racial Differences in Program Evaluation of a Lifestyle Physical Activity Randomized Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this study was to compare program evaluation responses between African American and Caucasian caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias who completed a lifestyle physical activity randomized controlled trial. The aim was to determine if African Americans evaluated the study differently than Caucasians. Family caregivers (N = 211) were randomly assigned to a 12-month physical activity intervention or a control condition. Upon intervention completion (n = 114), caregivers responded to an 11-item questionnaire using Likert-type scale responses and three open-ended questions about the overall intervention quality. Findings indicated that African American caregivers evaluated both conditions more favorably than Caucasian caregivers (p = .02). Content analysis of the narrative responses revealed five major qualitative themes: support, resources, responsibility, adjusting, and time These findings suggest the value of both access to resources, and support for African American caregivers who participate in intervention research.