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The social determinants and the consequences of illness on an aged, urban, indigent population are explored in this dissertation which has a secondary objective of integrating theoretical and empirical knowledge about the social lives of the aged with knowledge about the health of the aged. The research procedures consisted of a sample survey of 822 subjects aged 65 and older with two major components: physical examination and interviews of randomly selected respondents. Discussions of objectively evaluated health status, subjectively perceived health status, and perceptual congruity reveal findings on sex, self-perception of age, race, and socioeconomic status, the sick role, disengagement, the symbolic family estate, the loss of social roles, and the use of the physician for primary relationships. It is concluded that the health and health behavior of the elderly is a significant factor in influencing the social behavior of this segment of the population and therefore has significant implications for both the structure and the function of the social system. Tabular data and references are provided, and the questionnaire used in the research is appended.