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Supplementary Table 4
Delayed Medical Care Seeking among the U.S. Population


Note: This table shows that almost one in ten Americans - 9.5 percent - reported that they delayed getting the medical care they thought they needed in 2000-01. This remained statistically unchanged compared to 1996-97. People ages 25 to 44 and in fair or poor health were more likely than people of other ages or in better health, respectively, to delay needed care. Also, uninsured individuals were somewhat more likely to delay needed care than their insured counterparts, whereas Medicare enrollees were the least likely to delay needed care.

  Percent That Delayed Medical Care
1996-97 1998-99 2000-01
U.S. Total 9.8 8.5* 9.5*
Family Income Below Poverty 11.2 9.0* 10.0
100-199% of poverty 11.2 10.1* 10.8
200-399% of poverty 9.9 8.3* 10.0*
400% of poverty and above 8.0 7.5 8.2*
Age Less than 18 3.1 2.4* 2.4#
18-24 15.2 12.5* 13.3#
25-34 16.5 14.0* 14.6#
35-44 14.6 12.4* 14.8*
45-54 12.1 11.5 13.1*#
55-64 9.2 8.9 9.7
65 and over 4.3 4.1 5.6*#
Race/Ethnicity White 10.1 8.7* 9.7*
Black 10.4 8.8* 9.2
Hispanic 7.5 6.9 8.4*
Other 8.6 8.3 9.2
Health Status Excellent or very good 8.2 6.7* 7.5*#
Good 12.7 11.3* 12.6*
Fair or Poor 12.9 12.8 13.8
Insurance Type Medicare 5.4 5.2 6.4*#
Employer-sponsored 9.3 8.1* 8.9*
Other private 9.8 9.0 10.8
Medicaid and other state1 8.5 7.2 7.9
Other coverage2 11.4 9.1 11.5
Uninsured 17.1 14.1* 15.7
Metro size Large metro area3 9.5 8.2* 9.2*
Small metro area4 10.5 9.4* 9.8
Non-metro areas 10.6 9.1* 10.3*
Region Northeast 9.0 7.2* 8.7*
Midwest 10.3 8.2* 9.3*#
South 10.1 9.1* 9.7
West 9.6 8.9* 9.9*

SOURCE QUESTION: "Was there any time during the past 12 months when you put off or postponed getting medical care you thought you needed?"
DATE SOURCE: Community Tracking Study Household Survey.
1 Includes State Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage.
2 Includes military coverage (such as CHAMPUS/Tricare), Indian Health Service coverage, and coverage not included in any other category.
3 Metro area with population greater than 200,000 people.
4 Metro area with population equal to or less than 200,000 people.
* Change from previous round is statistically significant at p<.05.
# Change from 1996-97 to 2000-01 is statistically significant at p<.05.

 

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The Center for Studying Health System Change Ceased operation on Dec. 31, 2013.