Table 16_8_5.1
Adults at each health literacy level,a United States, 2003
| Population group |
Below basic |
Basic |
Intermediate |
Proficient |
| Percent |
SE |
Percent |
SE |
Percent |
SE |
Percent |
SE |
| Total |
14 |
0.5 |
22 |
0.4 |
53 |
0.6 |
12 |
0.5 |
| Age |
16–49 |
11 |
DNA |
20 |
DNA |
56 |
DNA |
13 |
DNA |
| 50–64 |
13 |
DNA |
22 |
DNA |
53 |
DNA |
12 |
DNA |
| 65–75 |
23 |
DNA |
28 |
DNA |
44 |
DNA |
5 |
DNA |
| 75 and over |
39 |
DNA |
31 |
DNA |
29 |
DNA |
1 |
DNA |
| Gender |
Male |
16 |
0.6 |
22 |
0.4 |
51 |
0.7 |
11 |
0.5 |
| Female |
12 |
0.7 |
21 |
0.6 |
55 |
0.8 |
12 |
0.7 |
| Race/ethnicityb |
White |
9 |
0.6 |
19 |
0.7 |
58 |
0.9 |
14 |
0.9 |
| Black |
24 |
2.1 |
34 |
1.5 |
41 |
2.3 |
2 |
0.5 |
| Hispanic, all races |
41 |
1.7 |
25 |
0.6 |
31 |
1.2 |
4 |
0.4 |
| API |
13 |
2.1 |
18 |
1.6 |
52 |
2.4 |
18 |
2.5 |
| AI/AN |
25 |
5.4 |
23 |
2.8 |
45 |
5.2 |
7 |
2.9 |
| Multiple races |
9 |
3.7 |
28 |
4.7 |
59 |
6.1 |
3 |
2.3 |
| Education |
Still in high school |
13 |
2.7 |
24 |
2.5 |
56 |
3.5 |
7 |
2.2 |
| Less than/some high school |
49 |
1.6 |
27 |
0.8 |
23 |
1.2 |
1 |
0.2 |
| GED/high school equivalency |
14 |
2.4 |
30 |
2.8 |
54 |
3.6 |
3 |
1.2 |
| High school graduate |
15 |
1.4 |
29 |
1.4 |
53 |
1.9 |
4 |
0.7 |
| Vocational/trade/business school |
12 |
1.8 |
25 |
2.1 |
57 |
2.7 |
7 |
1.6 |
| Some college |
5 |
0.9 |
20 |
1.6 |
67 |
2.0 |
8 |
1.4 |
| Associate's/2-year degree |
4 |
0.9 |
15 |
1.7 |
66 |
2.2 |
15 |
2.3 |
| College graduate |
3 |
0.5 |
10 |
0.9 |
60 |
1.8 |
27 |
2.2 |
| Graduate studies/degree |
3 |
0.5 |
8 |
0.9 |
57 |
2.0 |
33 |
2.4 |
| Perceived health status |
Excellent |
8 |
0.6 |
17 |
0.7 |
57 |
1.0 |
19 |
1.1 |
| Very good |
9 |
0.7 |
19 |
0.7 |
59 |
0.9 |
13 |
0.9 |
| Good |
16 |
1.1 |
27 |
0.9 |
51 |
1.3 |
6 |
0.7 |
| Fair |
33 |
1.7 |
30 |
1.0 |
34 |
1.6 |
3 |
0.5 |
| Poor |
42 |
2.3 |
27 |
1.3 |
29 |
1.8 |
3 |
0.6 |
| Health insurance |
Employer provided |
7 |
0.5 |
17 |
0.6 |
62 |
0.9 |
14 |
0.9 |
| Military |
12 |
2.1 |
21 |
2.0 |
56 |
2.7 |
11 |
2.2 |
| Privately purchased |
13 |
1.2 |
24 |
1.2 |
54 |
1.6 |
9 |
1.2 |
| Medicare |
27 |
1.4 |
30 |
0.9 |
40 |
1.4 |
3 |
0.5 |
| Medicaid |
30 |
1.8 |
30 |
1.0 |
38 |
1.7 |
3 |
0.6 |
| Uninsured |
28 |
1.3 |
25 |
0.6 |
41 |
1.1 |
7 |
0.5 |
a Estimates may not sum to total because of rounding. Adults are defined as people age 16 and over living in households or prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed because of language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (3 percent in 2003) are excluded.
b All adults of Hispanic origin are classified as Hispanic, regardless of race. The Asian/Pacific Islander category includes Native Hawaiians. Black includes African American, and Hispanic includes Latino.
DNA - Data have not been analyzed.
Key: AI/AN: American Indian or Alaska Native; API: Asian or Pacific Islander; SE: standard error.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
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