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CompletedNCT00042133Updated Apr 14, 2015

Socio-economic Status and Age-related Disability in a Biracial Community

An observational study in Healthy, sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 65 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-04-14.

Sponsored by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
6,000
Ages
65 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The overall goal of the proposed project is to examine the reasons for the higher levels of disability in older people of lower socio-economic status.

Read the detailed description

This application is a continuation of an epidemiologic study that investigates the effect of socio-economic disadvantage and neighborhood conditions on disability in older blacks and whites. The proposed project takes place in the context of a population-based, longitudinal study of persons aged 65 years and over who live in a geographically defined, urban, biracial community area in Chicago. During the initial funding period, we have successfully collected yearly disability outcome data, and detailed information on neighborhood conditions using self-report instruments and a systematic neighborhood survey of study area.

The first overall goal of this continuation is to determine the relative contribution and specific nature of the neighborhood conditions that are associated with disability in older adults. The second overall goal is to determine the biological mechanisms through which neighborhood conditions lead to increased disability, focusing specifically on hyperactivity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, via salivary cortisol, and inflammatory processes, via interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP), obtained from blood samples. To accomplish these goals, we propose to continue yearly collection of disability outcome data and obtain blood samples and salivary cortisol from over 7,000 participants. These data will be integrated with a rich set of existing data on personal characteristics, health conditions, and neighborhood factors to test of series of specific hypotheses related to the overall goals.

Disability is a common and highly prevalent consequence of age-related chronic diseases, and a critical indicator of overall health among older people. Prevention of disability is essential to improve the lives of older people and reduce health care costs. The proposed work will contribute to a better understanding of the specific neighborhood conditions that are associated with increased disability, laying the foundation for more effective policies to prevent disability in future generations of older adults.

02

Conditions studied

  • Healthy

Keywords

  • aging
  • disability
  • longitudinal studies
  • neighborhood factors
  • socio-economic status
  • race
03

In context

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is the lead sponsor of 183 studies on the registry; 18 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
65 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Eligibility criteria

inclusion criteria: adults aged 65 years and over exclusion criteria: none

05

Study design

Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
6,000 participants (estimated)
06

Study locations

1 site
  • Rush University Medical Center
    Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
07

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 14, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00042133
First posted
Jul 26, 2002
Start date
Apr 2001
Primary completion
Jul 2010
Completion
Jul 2010
Last update
Apr 14, 2015

Study contacts

Carlos F. Mendes de Leon, Ph.D.
principal investigator · Rush University Medical Center
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2015. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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