Psychological Effects of Aging on African Americans

Introduction

The field of study on the aging process has gained significance in the United States in recent years. The reason for this is a rapid increase in the number of citizens above the age of sixty-five, with the fastest-growing age segment being those above the age of eighty-five. The population of these two age groups in the United States is estimated at approximately thirty-four million. These figures are expected to rise significantly as the Baby Boomers — those born during the highest fertility period between 1946 and 1964 — grow older. It has been estimated that by the year 2030, the number of Americans over the age of sixty-five will equal the number of children in the country. This "graying" of the United States will have effects across the full population, and the issue of aging is only going to become more and more significant. (Chapter 1: The Growth of Social Gerontology)

Estimates show that almost two million African Americans make up the rapidly growing aging segment of those above the age of sixty-five, accounting for eight percent of the African American population. This segment is growing the fastest, and it is estimated that by the year 2050 it will grow to fifteen percent of the African American population. This growth in the aging population is mainly due to falling death and birth rates. The number of elderly in the African American population is nonetheless lower than in the white population, because — although birth and death rates have fallen — they still remain higher than those seen in the white population. (Curriculum Module on Aging and Ethnicity: African American Elderly)

Aging in the African American Population

There is not a great deal of data available specifically on older African Americans, though it is believed that this population is more prone to diseases such as tuberculosis, cirrhosis of the liver, and diabetes than the white population, and this is a primary reason why the death rate in the African American population remains higher. An African American living beyond the age of eighty-five is therefore considered a stronger survivor than members of other age groups. (Chapter 13: The Resiliency of Older Ethnic Minorities)

Several theories focused on minority aging in the United States have attracted significant attention. The first is the double jeopardy hypothesis, which holds that elderly members of minority communities face double disadvantages in society, particularly with respect to economic status and health. Elders in minority communities are likely to face discrimination both because they belong to a minority community and because they belong to an aged group in a society considered ageist. Careful evaluations of this theory, however, have found that it has only limited theoretical or empirical value. (Curriculum Module on Aging and Ethnicity: Perspectives on Minority Aging)

Theories on Aging

The theory does retain some usefulness as an advocacy concept. A competing concept is the age as a leveler hypothesis, which proposes that status differences between minority and Anglo populations diminish over the course of a lifetime, in part because both groups face the same barriers and problems that come with old age. Studies on this concept have shown that differences between minorities and Anglo populations do indeed dwindle with the passage of time and the onset of old age, and are therefore broadly consistent with the predictions of the age-as-leveler theory. This can be seen in studies showing that differences between African Americans and Anglo communities in income and health display a definite declining trend from middle age through old age.

There is, however, a growing trend in contemporary research to set aside both of these theories as unsatisfactory, since both tend to disregard the experience and effect of cultural factors. The newer concept of diversity in aging is being considered in a new light, and the standard that uses the Euro-American model as the benchmark from which other populations deviate is no longer regarded as valid. Diversity in this context means that not only is a multi-ethnic perspective taken into account, but also the many individual and social differences that exist in relation to the aging process. Many citizens from minority communities who have now entered old age have undergone a unique history that typically includes a high degree of family and social involvement, issues associated with immigrant status, and a remarkable tolerance shown in the face of racism and institutionalized prejudice. These assets and challenges of minority elders have not yet received adequate attention from many mainstream social scientists, and the diversity concept aims to address this gap. (Curriculum Module on Aging and Ethnicity: Perspectives on Minority Aging)

Among the various theoretical perspectives on minority aging, the most comprehensive model is one that not only accounts for the process of aging but also goes beyond it: the Convoy of Social Support as put forward by Kahn and Antonucci. When examining older African Americans, this model takes a life-span approach that considers their roles across their life span, their personal characteristics, situational characteristics, and support functions. It is broad enough to incorporate role theory, continuity theory, and interaction theory, making it a particularly useful framework for understanding the complexity of aging in this population. (Curriculum Module on Aging and Ethnicity: African American Elderly)