title: Disability among older American Indians and Alaska Natives: disparities in prevalence, health-risk behaviors, obesity, and chronic conditions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of disabilities among older American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) and compare these estimates with those of other major racial/ ethnic groups. To estimate, within the population with disabilities, the health-risk behaviors, obesity, and chronic conditions of older AIANs and compare them with estimates for other racial/ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  State-based surveillance system that collects data on a monthly basis using an independent probability sample of households with telephones among the noninstitutionalized population aged > or =18 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data on 434,972 noninstitutionalized adults aged > or =50 years from the 2003-2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among older AIAN adults, the unadjusted prevalence of disability (38.4%) was higher than among Whites (29.7%), Blacks (33.5%), Asians (15.6%), and Hispanics (26.9%). Among older adults with disabilities, AIANs were younger than their counterparts in other groups and were as likely to be male as female. After adjustment for age and self-rated health, both AIAN men and women with disabilities had the highest prevalence of current smoking, heart disease, and asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts to prevent, delay, and reduce disabilities and associated secondary conditions in persons with disabilities must be culturally sensitive and targeted toward reducing racial/ethnic disparities in health-risk behaviors and chronic conditions.
authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. cokoro@cdc.gov
authors: Catherine A
authors: CA
authors: Okoro
authors: Clark H
authors: CH
authors: Denny
authors: Lisa C
authors: LC
authors: McGuire
authors: Lina S
authors: LS
authors: Balluz
authors: R Turner
authors: RT
authors: Goins
authors: Ali H
authors: AH
authors: Mokdad
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000208:ethnology*; D004930:Inuit / Q000208:ethnology*; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012737:Sex Factors