Table 1.
Sociodemographic characteristics of study sample*
| Characteristic | Latino | Non-Latino |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 224 (7.1) | 2,913 (92.9) |
| Women | 169 (75.4) | 2,057 (70.6) |
| Men | 55 (24.6) | 856 (29.4) |
| Latino group | ||
| Mexican | 108 (45.0) | – |
| Puerto Rican | 50 (23.9) | – |
| Cuban | 17 (10.6) | – |
| Central or South American or other Latino | 49 (20.5) | – |
| Age, mean ± SE years | 63.66 ± 1.20 | 65.81 ± 0.26 |
| Education† | ||
| None or kindergarten only | 13 (5.5) | 10 (0.4) |
| Elementary school | 104 (47.3) | 572 (19.2) |
| Some high school | 39 (16.9) | 473 (16.1) |
| High school graduate | 37 (17.5) | 1,066 (36.6) |
| Some college | 8 (3.6) | 431 (15.0) |
| College graduate | 9 (3.6) | 179 (6.0) |
| Postcollege | 5 (2.2) | 159 (5.8) |
| Income (median) | $15,000–$16,000 | $20,000–$25,000 |
| Major activity | ||
| Keeping house | 91 (40.0) | 1,116 (35.8) |
| Working | 33 (14.2) | 592 (21.2) |
| Going to school | 3 (1.0) | 18 (0.6) |
| Something else | 94 (44.7) | 1,142 (39.7) |
| Employment status | ||
| Currently employed | 32 (13.7) | 620 (21.9) |
| Unemployed | 6 (2.7) | 33 (1.3) |
| Not in labor force | 186 (83.7) | 2,260 (76.8) |
| Type of occupation | ||
| Managerial, executive, professional | 9 (4.2) | 189 (6.5) |
| Technical, sales, and administrative | 7 (3.0) | 192 (7.1) |
| Service | 17 (6.6) | 188 (6.6) |
| Operators, fabricators, and laborers | 5 (2.5) | 70 (2.5) |
| Not in labor force | 186 (83.7) | 2,260 (76.8) |
*
Values are the number (percentage) unless otherwise indicated.
Percentages are weighted. The differences between Latinos and non-Latino whites in education, income, and employment status are significant at P ≤ 0.01. The sample numbers of respondents who reported “working” as their major activity do not equal sample numbers of “employed” because the primary activity variable refers to the past year, whereas employment status is defined as the 2-week period prior to the interview. Data source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 1994 (22).
†
Median education level was elementary school for Latinos, high school graduate for non-Latinos.