title: The Impact of Veteran Status on Life-Space Mobility among Older Black and White Men in the Deep South.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine life-space mobility over 8.5 years among older Black and White male veterans and non-veterans in the Deep South.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective longitudinal study of community-dwelling Black and White male adults aged >65 years (N=501; mean age=74.9; 50% Black and 50% White) enrolled in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging. Data from baseline in-home assessments with follow-up telephone assessments of life-space mobility completed every 6 months were used in linear mixed-effects modeling analyses to examine life-space mobility trajectories.
  
  
  METHODS
  Life-space mobility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison to veterans, non-veterans were more likely to be Black, single, and live in rural areas. They also reported lower income and education. Veterans had higher baseline life-space (73.7 vs 64.9 for non-veterans; P<.001). Race-veteran subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in demographics, comorbidity, cognition, and physical function. Relative to Black veterans, there were significantly greater declines in life-space trajectories for White non-veterans (P=.009), but not for White veterans (P=.807) nor Black non-veterans (P=.633). Mortality at 8.5 years was 43.5% for veterans and 49.5% for non-veterans (P=.190) with no significant differences by race-veteran status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Veterans had significantly higher baseline life-space mobility. There were significantly greater declines in life-space trajectories for White non-veterans in comparison to other race-veteran subgroups. Black veterans and non-veterans did not have significantly different trajectories.
authors.affiliation: 1. Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC ; 2. Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham ; 3. UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: McCaskill
authors.affiliation: 2. Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham ; 3. UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.affiliation: 1. Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC ; 2. Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham ; 3. UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.
authors.forename: Kathryn L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Burgio
authors.affiliation: 2. Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham ; 3. UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: 3. UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.
authors.forename: Courtney P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: 2. Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham ; 4. University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Olivio J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Clay
authors.affiliation: 1. Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC ; 2. Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham ; 3. UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care.
authors.forename: Cynthia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: 5. Geriatrics and Extended Care Services, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Allman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044465:White People
keywords: Cumulative Inequality; Life-space Mobility; Older Veterans