OBJECTIVES: Few studies have explicitly tested whether the health disadvantage among older blacks is consistent across the entire range of education. We examined racial differences in the cross-sectional association of education with physical and cognitive function performance in older adults. METHODS: Participants included over 9500 blacks and whites, aged >/= 65 years, from the Chicago Health and Aging Project {64% black, 60% women, mean age = 73.0 (standard deviation [SD] = 6.9), mean education = 12.2 (SD = 3.5)}. Physical function was assessed using 3 physical performance tests, and cognitive function was assessed with 4 performance-based tests; composite measures were created and used in analyses. RESULTS: In multiple regression models that controlled for age, age-squared, sex, and race, and their interactions, whites and those with higher education (>12 years) performed significantly better on both functional health measures. The association of education with each indicator of functional health was similar in older blacks and whites with low levels (
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