Report Looks At Racial, Ethnic Disparities In Self-Rated Health Status Among Those With Or Without Disabilities

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 06 Oct 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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"Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Self-Rated Health Status Among Adults With and Without Disabilities," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: The report examines differences in self-rated health status by race/ethnicity and disability. The findings are based on an analysis of data from the 2004 through 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys. The analysis found that the disability prevalence was highest among American Indian/Alaska Natives, at 29.9%, and lowest among Asian-Americans, at 11.6%. The report found that 66.9% of whites without a disability rated their health as very good or excellent, compared with 49.9% of blacks without a disability. Among adults with a disability, reports of fair or poor health ranged from 24.9% among Asians to 50.5% among American Indian/Alaska Natives and 55.2% among Hispanics. The report recommends that efforts to reduce racial/ethnic health disparities should include strategies to improve the health and well-being of those with disabilities for each racial/ethnic group (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 10/3).

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