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2008 National Healthcare Quality & Disparities Reports

Table 14_4_4.1
People unable to get or delayed in getting needed prescription medicines in the last 12 months, United States, 2002 and 2005
Population group 2005 2002
Total population (in thousands) Percent SE Total population (in thousands) Percent SE
Total 296,185 3.6 0.2 288,182 3.4 0.1
Age 0–17 73,452 1.1 0.2 72,730 1.0 0.1
18–44 110,815 3.7 0.3 111,090 3.8 0.2
45–64 73,257 5.6 0.3 67,009 5.2 0.3
65 and over 36,280 4.3 0.5 34,921 4.0 0.4
Gender Male 145,116 2.6 0.2 140,802 2.8 0.2
Female 151,069 4.5 0.3 147,380 4.0 0.2
Race White, single race 237,761 3.6 0.2 233,530 3.5 0.1
Black, single race 36,870 3.9 0.3 35,504 3.2 0.3
Asian, single race 12,659 1.6 0.5 11,567 1.5 0.4
NHOPI, single race 1,078 * * 884 * *
AI/AN, single race 2,332 * * 2,583 5.3 1.5
Multiple races 5,484 5.9 1.3 4,114 6.9 1.4
Ethnicity Non-Hispanic, all races 252,609 3.8 0.2 248,517 3.6 0.2
Non-Hispanic, White 196,514 3.8 0.2 195,463 3.7 0.2
Non-Hispanic, Black 35,880 3.9 0.3 34,875 3.2 0.4
Hispanic 43,576 2.6 0.2 39,665 2.3 0.2
Family incomea Negative/poor 37,915 6.1 0.5 35,618 6.0 0.5
Near poor/low 54,033 4.6 0.3 52,639 4.7 0.4
Middle 92,693 3.7 0.3 91,063 3.1 0.2
High 111,543 2.2 0.2 108,862 2.3 0.2
Education,b age 18 and over Less than high school 41,928 5.8 0.5 45,282 5.4 0.4
High school graduate 70,724 4.6 0.3 69,829 4.0 0.3
At least some college 107,388 3.8 0.3 97,855 4.0 0.2
Employment status, ages 18–64 Employed 147,001 3.7 0.2 143,280 3.9 0.2
Not employed 37,780 7.5 0.5 35,665 6.2 0.4
Health insurance, ages 18–64 Any private 182,776 2.6 0.2 183,519 2.9 0.1
Public only 38,952 4.5 0.4 34,249 4.4 0.4
Uninsured 35,796 6.8 0.6 33,061 5.0 0.4
Health insurance, age 65 and over Medicare only 10,078 5.4 0.8 10,202 4.7 0.7
Medicare and private 21,331 3.8 0.6 20,648 3.3 0.5
Medicare and other public 4,477 5.1 1.1 3,788 6.2 1.2
Residence locationc Metropolitan 247,418 3.5 0.2 241,330 3.4 0.2
  Large central metro 89,436 3.2 0.3 87,683 3.6 0.3
  Large fringe metro 73,350 3.6 0.3 69,802 2.7 0.3
  Medium metro 59,108 4.0 0.4 58,570 3.9 0.4
  Small metro 25,524 3.6 0.6 25,275 3.2 0.4
Nonmetropolitan 48,767 3.9 0.4 46,852 3.6 0.3
  Micropolitan 31,968 3.8 0.4 31,339 3.5 0.4
  Noncore 16,799 4.2 0.7 15,513 3.8 0.5
Language spoken most often at home English 257,411 3.8 0.2 252,871 3.6 0.2
Other 34,902 2.2 0.3 31,079 1.9 0.2
Perceived health status Excellent/very good/good 262,298 2.6 0.2 255,683 2.5 0.1
Fair/poor 31,890 12.1 0.7 30,511 11.2 0.7
Activity limitations,c age 18 and over Basic activities 29,148 11.8 0.8 27,554 10.8 0.7
Complex activities 17,758 15.3 1.0 16,398 12.9 0.9
Neither basic nor complex activities 183,537 3.1 0.2 179,243 3.1 0.1

a Negative/poor refers to household incomes below the Federal poverty line; near poor/low, over the poverty line to just below 200 percent of the poverty line; middle, 200 percent to just below 400 percent of the poverty line; and high, 400 percent of the poverty line and over.

b Less than high school refers to fewer than 12 years of education; high school graduate, 12 years of education; and at least some college, more than 12 years of education.

c For more information, see the MEPS entry in Appendix A, Data Sources.

d Denominator includes persons eligible to access care. Numerator includes persons unable to get or delayed in receiving needed care.

* - Data do not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.

Key: AI/AN: American Indian or Alaska Native; NHOPI: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; SE: standard error.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

 

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