Rural Elderly African Americans and Service Delivery:

Abstract

This study explored health and social service accessibility among a sample of 100 elderly rural African Americans. Using a comprehensive approach, the study examined the relationship between access to a wide range of health and social services and individual characteristics among the selected elderly group. The findings revealed that accessibility varied in relation to service type and that age, marital status, geographic location, and service awareness significantly influenced accessibility. The results underline the importance of understanding the variations existing among this elderly group in relation to service accessibility, and point to the need for improvement in some areas of the service delivery system. Additionally, the results point to the need for more research regarding service accessibility among elderly rural African Americans.