Racial Differences in Social Integration and Life Satisfaction among Aged Public Housing Residents

Abstract

The effects of social activity, social resources, health, and functional status on the life satisfaction of black and white aged were examined, based on interviews with 330 residents of age-integrated and age-segregated public housing estates in Cleveland, Ohio. The results of multivariate analysis call into question previous conclusions that age-segregation is conducive to greater life satisfaction. However, the findings do lend support to previous research indicating that social integration has a greater degree of importance in determining the life satisfaction of black than of white aged.