The role of intended use on actual use of home care: is race a factor?

Previous studies indicate that African American elders are less likely to use institutional long-term care than whites. The purpose of this study was to examine whether an individual's intention to use home care may mediate the effect of race on the actual use of home care. This study was a prospective, longitudinal study of 208 Connecticut residents over age 65. Findings indicated that African American elders' use of home care is associated with their intention to use services, while white elders' use of home care is associated with need. This suggests that the factors that predict long-term care use differ for African American and white elders. Therefore, the traditional models of health services use may need to be expanded in order to explain patterns of use among nonwhite populations.