Among minority elderly groups, life expectancy is lower than whites. Which statement is true?

• A. Families of color have fewer resources in old age due to lower-paying jobs, less employment, and fewer health insurance and Social Security benefits
• B. Minority groups die earlier from diseases linked to poverty
• C. More and more elderly are abandoned by their families and are unable to care for themselves
• D. Many minority elderly living in poverty die from malnutrition

Answer: (A)

In aging, the amount of economic and social resources people have accumulated plays a crucial role in how long they live. Minority groups often have fewer resources in old age because, over their lifetimes, they face lower-wage jobs, less stable employment, and less access to health insurance and Social Security benefits. Those gaps mean less savings, less financial security, and fewer ways to pay for healthcare, nutritious food, safe housing, and long-term care. When resources are limited, health problems go less likely to be treated promptly, chronic conditions can worsen, and stress levels stay high, all of which can shorten life expectancy. So this explanation—the reduced resources in old age tied to economic and benefits access—best accounts for why minority elderly groups tend to have lower life expectancy.

Other statements either focus on specific diseases or situations or make broad claims that don’t directly explain the resource-based mechanism behind the disparity.