Summary health statistics for the U.S. population: National Health Interview Survey, 2002.
OBJECTIVE
This report presents both age-adjusted and unadjusted health statistics from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States, classified by age, sex, race and Hispanic or Latino origin, family income, poverty status, education, place of residence, region of residence, and, where appropriate, health insurance coverage. The topics covered are health status and limitations in activities, special education or early intervention services, injuries and poisonings, health care access and utilization, and health insurance coverage.


METHODS
The NHIS is a household, multistage probability sample survey conducted annually by interviewers of the U.S. Census Bureau for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. In 2002, household interviews were completed for 93,386 persons living in 36,161 households, reflecting a household response rate of 89.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
Nearly 7 in 10 persons were in excellent or very good health in 2002. About 34 million persons (12%) were limited in their usual activities due to one or more chronic health conditions, and about 4 million persons (2%) required the help of another person with activities of daily living. About 6% of children received special education or early intervention services. Among persons under age 65 years, about 40 million (17%) did not have any health insurance coverage. The most common reason for lacking health insurance was cost, followed by a change in employment.
Schiller
Jeannine S
JS
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center of Health Statistics, Division of Health Interview Statistics, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA.
Bernadel
Luther
L
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology