Nativity and Country of Origin Variations in Life Expectancy With Functional Limitations Among Older Hispanics in the United States

Authors

Marc A. Garcia, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Adriana M. Reyes, Cornell UniversityFollow
Catherine García, University of Southern California
Chi-Tsun Chiu, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TaiwanFollow
Grecia Macias, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

ORCID IDs

Marc A. Garcia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9442-4124

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2020

Citation

Published in Research on Aging 2020, Vol. 42(7-8) 199–207

doi:10.1177/0164027520914512

Comments

Copyright © 2020 Marc A. Garcia, Adriana M. Reyes, Catherine García, Chi-Tsun Chiu, and Grecia Macias. Published by SAGE Publications. Used by permission

Abstract

This study examined racial/ethnic, nativity, and country of origin differences in life expectancy with and without functional limitations among older adults in the United States. We used data from the National Health Interview Survey (1999–2015) to estimate Sullivan-based life tables of life expectancies with functional limitations and without functional limitations by sex for U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, U.S.-born Puerto Ricans, island-born Puerto Ricans, foreign-born Cubans, and U.S.-born Whites. We find that Latinos exhibit heterogeneous life expectancies with functional limitations. Among females, U.S.-born Mexicans, foreign-born Mexicans, and foreign-born Cubans spend significantly fewer years without functional limitations, whereas island-born Puerto Ricans spend more years with functional limitations. For men, U.S.-born Puerto Ricans were the only Latino subgroup disadvantaged in the number of years lived with functional limitations. Conversely, foreign-born Cubans spend significantly fewer years without functional limitations. To address disparities in functional limitations, we must consider variation in health among Latino subgroups.