title: Correlates of Successful Aging in Racial and Ethnic Minority Women Age 80 Years and Older: Findings from the Women's Health Initiative.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most research has focused on definitions and predictors of successful aging. However, racial/ethnic minorities are often under represented in this research. Given that the U.S. population is aging and becoming more racially diverse, we examined correlates of "successful aging," as defined by physical functioning and overall quality of life (QOL), among racial/ethnic minority women aged 80 years and older in the Women's Health Initiative.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 1,924 racial/ethnic minority women (African Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanic/Latinos, and American Indian/Alaskan Natives) 80 years of age and older who are enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative and have physical functioning data after turning 80 years of age. Analysis of covariance was used to examine between and within group differences in physical functioning and selfrated overall QOL for African Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic/Latinos.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant differences in physical functioning between racial/ethnic minority groups in adjusted analyses. However, overall QOL was significantly different between racial/ethnic minority groups. Age, recreational physical activity, and overall selfrated health were independent correlates of physical functioning across racial/ethnic minority groups, whereas overall selfrated health was the only consistent correlate of overall QOL across the minority groups for the within minority group comparisons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Between racial/ethnic minority group differences in physical functioning are largely explained by demographic, psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related variables. We found statistically significant differences in selfrated overall QOL between racial/ethnic minority groups.
authors: UNC School of Medicine, Department of Medicine crystal_cene@med.unc.edu.
authors: Crystal W
authors: CW
authors: Cené
authors: Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC, Department of Health Policy and Management.
authors: Peggye
authors: P
authors: Dilworth-Anderson
authors: Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics.
authors: Iris
authors: I
authors: Leng
authors: UC Davis School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences.
authors: Lorena
authors: L
authors: Garcia
authors: Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing.
authors: Viola
authors: V
authors: Benavente
authors: University of Massachusetts Medical School, Department of Medicine.
authors: Milagros
authors: M
authors: Rosal
authors: Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Social Sciences & Health Policy.
authors: Leslie
authors: L
authors: Vaughan
authors: Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Social Sciences & Health Policy.
authors: Laura H
authors: LH
authors: Coker
authors: UNC School of Medicine, Departments of Social Medicine and Medicine.
authors: Giselle
authors: G
authors: Corbie-Smith
authors: UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, NC Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute.
authors: Mimi
authors: M
authors: Kim
authors: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Geriatric Medicine.
authors: Christina L
authors: CL
authors: Bell
authors: University of Iowa, Departments of Epidemiology & Medicine.
authors: Jennifer G
authors: JG
authors: Robinson
authors: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
authors: JoAnn E
authors: JE
authors: Manson
authors: University of Washington School of Medicine.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Cochrane
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000502:physiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Minority aging; Physical function; Successful aging