Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Participants by Race
| Factor | African American (N = 452) n (%) | White (N = 453) n (%) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographic factors | |||
| Age group,* y | .050 | ||
| 65 to 74 | 219 (48) | 251 (55) | |
| 75 to 84 | 175 (39) | 162 (36) | |
| 85+ | 58 (13) | 40 (9) | |
| Female | 232 (51) | 233 (51) | .974 |
| Married | 178 (39) | 288 (64) | <.001 |
| Rural | 232 (51) | 232 (51) | .973 |
| Income† (<$8,000) | 169 (38) | 39 (9) | <.001 |
| Education† (<7th grade) | 159 (35) | 25 (6) | <.001 |
| Transportation difficulty | 106 (24) | 39 (9) | <.001 |
| Low social support* | 83 (18) | 70 (15) | .261 |
| Verified medical diagnoses | |||
| Hypertension | 357 (79) | 276 (61) | <.001 |
| Angina | 31 (7) | 45 (10) | .095 |
| Myocardial infarction | 29 (6) | 54 (12) | .004 |
| Heart failure | 63 (14) | 44 (10) | .049 |
| Cardiac arrhythmia | 42 (9) | 78 (17) | <.001 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 44 (10) | 43 (10) | .902 |
| Stroke | 54 (12) | 43 (10) | .233 |
| COPD or asthma | 47 (10) | 72 (16) | .014 |
| Diabetes | 130 (29) | 88 (19) | .001 |
| Arthritis or gout | 230 (51) | 209 (46) | .153 |
| Osteoporosis | 18 (4) | 71 (16) | <.001 |
| Fractures | |||
| Lower extremity | 83 (18) | 115 (25) | .011 |
| Vertebral | 6 (1) | 28 (6) | <.001 |
| Degenerative discs | 33 (7) | 37 (8) | .625 |
| Spinal stenosis | 14 (3) | 23 (5) | .133 |
| Gastrointestinal disease | 99 (22) | 140 (31) | .002 |
| Gall bladder disease | 14 (3) | 27 (6) | .038 |
| Liver disease | 2 (.4) | 5 (1) | .256 |
| Kidney disease | 30 (7) | 17 (4) | .051 |
| Seizure disorder | 6 (1) | 8 (2) | .593 |
| Dementia | 18 (4) | 7 (2) | .025 |
| Parkinson's disease | 6 (1) | 11 (2) | .233 |
| Anemia | 64 (14) | 33 (7) | .001 |
| Eye disease | |||
| Untreated cataracts | 109 (24) | 121 (27) | .370 |
| Glaucoma | 59 (13) | 31 (7) | .002 |
| Other | 16 (4) | 26 (6) | .116 |
| Cancer, nonskin | 71 (16) | 81 (18) | .382 |
| Geriatric syndromes | |||
| History of falling | 120 (27) | 143 (32) | .096 |
| Incontinence† (any) | 162 (36) | 230 (51) | .008 |
| Constipation† (any) | 196 (43) | 180 (40) | .391 |
| Unexplained weight loss | 69 (15) | 65 (14) | .698 |
| Low body mass index (<20) | 25 (6) | 34 (8) | .254 |
| High body mass index (>30) | 189 (43) | 99 (22) | <.001 |
| Dizziness | 154 (34) | 147 (33) | .605 |
| Fainting | 11 (2) | 11 (2) | .996 |
| Symptoms of arthritis | 160 (35) | 172 (38) | .422 |
| Pain, frequent, severe | 89 (17) | 76 (20) | .257 |
| Hearing problems | 59 (13) | 65 (14) | .571 |
| Poor vision | 39 (9) | 30 (7) | .391 |
| Poor appetite | 84 (19) | 69 (15) | .179 |
| Neuropsychological factors | |||
| Depression* (Geriatric Depression Scale > 5) | 45 (10) | 36 (8) | .291 |
| Clock drawing (score < 10) | 214 (47) | 88 (19) | <.001 |
| High anxiety* | 96 (21) | 71 (16) | .031 |
| Fear of falling | 75 (39) | 140 (31) | .014 |
| Fear of crashing | 86 (19) | 49 (11) | .001 |
| Fear of personal attack | 122 (27) | 40 (9) | <.001 |
| Health behaviors | |||
| Irregular meals | 223 (49) | 108 (24) | <.001 |
| Smokers* (10+ pack years) | 146 (32) | 192 (42) | .002 |
| Alcohol use† (more than 6/week) | 18 (4) | 43 (10) | <.001 |
| Physical activity level,† kcal/week | <.001 | ||
| None | 111 (25) | 78 (17) | |
| 1 to 400 | 107 (24) | 91 (20) | |
| 401 to 1,000 | 112 (25) | 93 (21) | |
| 1,001 to 1,800 | 43 (10) | 79 (17) | |
| 1,801+ | 79 (18) | 112 (25) |
*
Used as a continuous variable in multivariate models.
†
Used as an ordinal variable in multivariate models.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.