Health behaviors of rural white, African American and Native American elders

Objective: To describe the prevalence and correlates of selected health behaviors among rural older adults. Methods: Data were collected from 114 elders (≥70 years) of 3 ethnic groups (whites, African Americans, and Native Americans) in two rural North Carolina communities. Self-reported health behaviors included diet, tobacco/alcohol use, exercise/weight maintenance, accident avoidance, and health care use. Results: High rates were reported for most behaviors and varied according to ethnicity, gender, age, health conditions, and self-rated health. Poor agreement was found for actual intake of dietary fiber and fat and self-reported adherence to recommendations for those nutrients. Conclusion: These data add to the limited information on health behaviors of rural elders, including ethnic minorities, and indicate that these behaviors may be difficult to implement.