To examine how race and the diagnostic label of Osteoarthritis (OA) affects older adults’ emotions, illness beliefs, and willingness to help a family member.

African American and White older adults were randomly assigned to read vignettes describing a sister suffering from chronic pain and disability, either with or without the OA label. Race x diagnostic label ANOVAs were conducted.

Compared to Whites, African Americans were more optimistic that OA could improve with health care, and showed greater willingness to help their sister. The OA label had little impact on emotions, beliefs, or willingness to help. African Americans rated the sister as having more control of their problem than Whites without the OA label, but providing the diagnosis eliminated this difference.

The diagnostic label of OA had little effect on these older adults, but racial differences indicate that cultural values regarding family caregiving are important in arthritis care.