• Date: April 2
  • Time: 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Speaker: Prof. Shawn Bauldry
  • Venue: E21B-G016
  • Organizer: Department of Sociology
  • Phone: 8822 4595

This talk introduces the concept of dual functionality, which integrates physical and cognitive dimensions of health by measuring the absence of both any limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) and dementia. Drawing on national survey data and life table methods, I calculate dual-function rates and dual-function life expectancy (2FLE) among older adults in the United States. Analyses reveal that Black, U.S.-born Hispanic, and foreign-born Hispanic adults live significantly fewer years with dual functionality compared to White adults, with Black-White gaps of 6.9 and 6.0 years for women and men, respectively. Educational inequalities are similarly pronounced, with gaps of approximately 7 years in 2FLE between those with a college degree versus those without a high school diploma. These disparities begin to emerge in late middle age or early old age and have important implications for quality of life, caregiving resources, and healthcare needs. The concept of dual functionality provides a novel framework for understanding and addressing health inequalities in aging populations.