As the American population increases, the health problems of older women will be of greater concern to health planners, because it is the elderly woman who most often survives to old age and has greater need of services. Data from the National Health Survey was used to determine characteristics, conditions, management, and outcomes of patients at…

This paper focuses on health status and medical service utilization among three subgroups of the elderly population: the poor, the black, and the rural elderly. Economic and demographic characteristics of the elderly are discussed. Available evidence is examined on the relationship between these characteristics and health status to determine…