The differences in social service utilization between elderly United States mainland-born Blacks and West Indian-born Blacks
Abstract
This study is a cross-sectional survey, using secondary data, to determine whether there are differences in the factors that affect utilization of formal social supports by elderly American-born Blacks and West Indian-born Blacks living in New York City. The data for this study were taken from a large scale survey of older people in New York City--Growing Older in New York City in the 1990's--undertaken jointly by Fordham University and Columbia University for the New York Community Trust. Data were collected in 1990 by Louis Harris and Associates, a national survey research firm in New York City. The population from which this sample of 388 Black participants was drawn, consisted of 1570 individuals, whose names were listed on New York City's Medicare list. A modified adaptation of Andersen's and Ward's models was used to organize the variables as predisposing, enabling and need factors. Multi-variate statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. Findings suggest no difference between U.S. mainland-born Blacks and W.I.-born Blacks in the degree of service utilization, although there were some variations in the use of specific services. In general, a large proportion of both study groups used health services, however, they utilized the available social services to a lesser extent. Although findings showed no difference in service utilization, there are some inherent cultural differences that could affect other areas of life, particularly help-seeking behavior among the study groups. Social workers must be sensitive to specific sub-group differences of Blacks.
Subject Area
Social work|Gerontology|Minority & ethnic groups|Sociology
Recommended Citation
Lyons, Beverly Pauline, "The differences in social service utilization between elderly United States mainland-born Blacks and West Indian-born Blacks" (1994). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI9534289.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI9534289
