Health Care Access, Health Promotion, and Older Women of Color

The U.S population is becoming increasingly older due to steady increases in longevity, especially among women. Statistics show that older women, those 65 and over, outnumber older men by three to two. It is likely that as this trend in longevity continues, older women will continue to outnumber older men. The health care system must respond to these changes in the population by incorporating appropriate modifications into every aspect of the system, including financing mechanisms, service organization and delivery, consumer-centered care approaches, quality assurance mechanisms, and health promotion efforts. This article discusses the longevity advantage of women (particularly women of color) and its implications for economic insecurity, underinsurance of health care, health status, functional disability, access to care, and service use. The article concludes with a discussion of the challenges and opportunities presented as health care reform and the devolution of federal roles continue to unfold.