Despite advances in health care and increases in income over
the past 50 years, significant gaps in life expectancy and health
by race and ethnicity persist among older Americans. This
newsletter highlights recent work by National Institute on
Aging (NIA)-supported researchers and others who examined
life expectancy and health trends among older blacks and
Hispanics. By 2030, the U.S. elderly population is expected to
become more racially and ethnically diverse than it is today
(see Box 1, page 2). Understanding their differences in health
and addressing disparities are critically important to improving
the nation’s overall health and well-being.