title: Association between Race, Household Income and Grip Strength in Middle- and Older-Aged Adults.
abstract: Poor grip strength is an indicator of frailty and a precursor to functional limitations. Although poor grip strength is more prevalent in older disabled African American women, little is known about the association between race and poverty-related disparities and grip strength in middle-aged men and women.
  
  
  
  We examined the cross-sectional relationship between race, socioeconomic status as assessed by household income, and hand grip strength in men and women in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study. General linear models examined grip strength (maximum of two trials on both sides) by race and household income adjusted for age, weight, height, hand pain, education, insurance status, family income, and two or more chronic conditions.
  
  
  
  Of 2,091 adults, 422(45.4%) were male, 509(54.8%) were African American, and 320 (34.5%) were living in households with incomes below 125% of the federal poverty level (low SES). In adjusted models, African American women had greater grip strength than White women independent of SES (low income household: 29.3 vs 26.9 kg and high income household: 30.5 vs. 28.3kg; P<.05 for both); whereas in men, only African Americans in the high income household group had better grip strength than Whites (46.3 vs. 43.2; P<.05).
  
  
  
  The relationship between grip strength, race and SES as assessed by household income varied in this cohort. Efforts to develop grip strength norms and cut points that indicate frailty and sarcopenia may need to be race- and income-specific.
authors: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
authors: Roland J Jr
authors: RJ
authors: Thorpe
authors: Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging.
authors: Eleanor
authors: E
authors: Simonsick
authors: Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging.
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Zonderman
authors: Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Science, National Institute on Aging.
authors: Michelle K
authors: MK
authors: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People
keywords: Aging; Health Disparities; Physical Function; Race