Ethnicity of socioeconomic status? Health differences between elder Alaska Natives and whites.

We investigated self-reported health difference between elderly Alaska Natives and whites, and attempted to distinguish the effects of socioeconomic factors from other facets of ethnicity, upon health and physical well-being. Results indicate that elderly Alaska Natives suffer from a greater variety of impairments than do whites. Health differences disappear, however, in multivariate analyses that control for socioeconomic factors. Income, education, gender, and age appear to be more important determinants of health status among the elderly than ethnicity, per se.