State and metropolitan variation in lack of health insurance among working-age adults, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2006.
OBJECTIVE
Lack of health insurance coverage for working-age adults is one of the most pressing issues facing the U.S. population, and it continues to be a concern for a large number of people. In the absence of a national solution, the states and municipalities are left to address this need. We examined the disparities in uninsurance prevalence by state and metropolitan areas in the U.S. and among racial/ethnic groups.


METHODS
Data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed for working-age adults 18 to 64 years of age.


RESULTS
In 2006, according to the BRFSS data, overall 18.6% (standard error = 0.20) of working-age adults were without health insurance coverage; by state, this proportion ranged from 9.7% to 29.0%. Health insurance coverage varied by state and metropolitan area and racial/ethnic group, and a higher age-adjusted prevalence of uninsurance was observed for non-Hispanic black and Hispanic respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of working-age Americans remain without health insurance coverage. Disparities in health insurance coverage were observed by population and geographic groups. Overall, black and Hispanic populations fared far worse in terms of lack of health-care coverage than working-age white Americans.
Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy. NE, MS K-66, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, USA. iaa2@cdc.gov
Indu B
IB
Ahluwalia
Julie
J
Bolen
William S
WS
Pearson
Michael
M
Link
William
W
Garvin
Ali
A
Mokdad
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009111:Local Government; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult