Variations in Functional Life Expectancies among Older Hispanics in the US by Nativity and Country-of-Origin

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Abstract

Objectives: To examine racial/ethnic, nativity and country of origin differences in functional limitation life expectancies among older men and women in the United States.
Methods: We used individual-level data (1999-2015) from the National Health Interview Survey to estimate Sullivan-based life tables of life expectancies with functional limitations and without functional limitations by gender for U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, U.S.-born Puerto Ricans, island-born Puerto Ricans, foreign-born Cubans, and Whites in mid-life (age 50), and late-life (age 65).
Results: Hispanics are heterogeneous in functional limitations life expectancies. Among females, U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, and island-born Puerto Ricans spent more late life years with functional limitations than Whites. For men, U.S.-born Puerto Ricans were the only Hispanic subgroup disadvantaged in the number of years lived with functional limitations. Conversely, foreign-born Cubans exhibited the healthiest outcomes of all groups, regardless of gender.
Conclusion: Reducing the risk for late-life physical functioning must be informed by a comprehensive understanding of a wide range of factors that shape health among older adults. Research should avoid pan-ethnic groupings that overlook important differences in physical functioning risk profiles among Hispanic subgroups. Recognizing the various sociocultural and environmental processes that underlie Hispanic subpopulations is important for development and implementation of social and public health policies aimed at ameliorating negative health outcomes of late-life functioning among minority and immigrant groups.

Authors

• Marc Anthony Garcia, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Catherine Garcia, University of Southern California

• Adriana Reyes, Cornell University

• Chi-Tsun Chiu, Academia Sinica