Gina M. McCaskill, PhD, MSW, MPA
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Patricia Sawyer, PhD
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Kathryn L. Burgio, PhD
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Richard Kennedy, MD
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Courtney P. Williams, MPH
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<p><strong>Objective</strong>: To examine life-space mobility over 8.5 years among older Black and White male veterans and non-veterans in<br />the Deep South.</p><p><strong>Design</strong>: A prospective longitudinal study of community-dwelling Black and White male adults aged >65 years (N=501; mean age=74.9; 50% Black and 50% White) enrolled in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging. Data from baseline in-home assessments with followup telephone assessments of life-space mobility completed every 6 months were used in linear mixed-effects modeling analyses to examine life-space mobility trajectories.<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Main outcome measure:</strong> Life-space mobility.<br /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results:</strong> In comparison to veterans, nonveterans were more likely to be Black, single, and live in rural areas. They also reported lower income and education. Veterans had higher baseline life-space (73.7 vs 64.9 for non-veterans; <em>P</em><.001). Race-veteran<br />subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in demographics, comorbidity, cognition, and physical function. Relative to Black veterans, there were significantly greater declines in life-space trajectories for White non-veterans (P=.009), but not for White veterans (P=.807) nor Black non-veterans (P=.633). Mortality at 8.5 years was 43.5% for veterans and 49.5% for non-veterans (P=.190) with no significant differences by race-veteran status.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Veterans had significantly higher baseline life-space mobility. There were significantly greater declines in lifespace<br />trajectories for White non-veterans in comparison to other race-veteran subgroups. Black veterans and non-veterans did not have significantly different trajectories.<em>Ethn Dis. </em>2015;25(3):255-262.</p>