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Table 3.6a
Among persons age 18 and over who reported making an appointment for routine health care in the last 12 months, percent distribution of how often they got an appointment as soon as wanted, United States, 2004
Population group Total population (in thousands)e Percent had appointment Appointment as soon as wanted
Always Usually Sometimes or never
Percent Standard error Percent Standard error Percent Standard error
Total   215,999 66.0 48.4 0.6 36.4 0.5 15.2 0.4
Race White, single race 176,363 68.1 48.5 0.6 37.3 0.6 14.3 0.4
Black, single race 24,931 56.2 52.0 1.9 30.7 1.3 17.3 1.4
AI/AN, single race 1,564 55.6 DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
Asian, single race 9,329 55.2 38.2 3.1 33.3 2.4 28.6 2.8
NHOPI, single race DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
Multiple races 3,071 62.7 48.6 4.4 31.5 4.1 19.9 3.6
Ethnicity Hispanic, all races 27,378 45.9 43.6 1.5 37.8 1.4 18.6 1.0
Non-Hispanic, all races 188,622 68.8 48.9 0.6 36.3 0.6 14.9 0.4
Non-Hispanic, White 150,409 71.8 49.1 0.7 37.1 0.6 13.8 0.5
Non-Hispanic, Black 24,207 56.6 51.9 1.9 31.0 1.4 17.1 1.5
Non-Hispanic, other 14,006 57.0 41.2 2.4 33.1 2.0 25.7 2.1
Gender Male 103,946 57.0 49.8 0.9 35.2 0.8 15.0 0.6
Female 112,053 74.2 47.4 0.7 37.3 0.6 15.3 0.5
Age 18-44 109,629 56.0 44.0 0.8 36.5 0.8 19.5 0.7
45-64 71,233 72.3 48.2 1.0 37.6 1.0 14.2 0.6
65 and over 35,137 84.3 58.4 1.2 34.1 1.1 7.5 0.7
Educationa Less than high school 40,215 55.0 50.8 1.3 31.8 1.2 17.4 1.0
High school graduate 69,784 62.7 49.8 1.1 36.4 1.0 13.9 0.6
At least some college 104,709 72.4 47.0 0.8 37.7 0.8 15.3 0.6
Employment statusb Employed 145,008 61.4 45.4 0.7 37.4 0.7 17.2 0.6
Not employed 35,809 66.6 47.8 1.3 35.3 1.3 16.9 0.9
Health insurance, ages 18-64 Any private 134,590 68.6 46.6 0.7 37.7 0.7 15.7 0.6
Public only 16,485 66.5 45.2 1.7 33.6 1.6 21.1 1.3
Uninsured 29,787 32.1 39.8 2.0 33.3 2.0 26.9 1.6
Health insurance, age 65 and over Medicare only 10,015 78.8 59.2 2.3 34.0 2.2 6.8 1.1
Medicare and private 20,890 88.1 58.2 1.5 34.9 1.5 6.9 0.8
Medicare and other public 3,985 79.9 57.7 3.1 30.1 2.9 12.2 2.3
Family incomec Negative/poor 23,527 56.2 47.2 1.5 32.0 1.3 20.7 1.3
Near poor/low 37,172 58.8 50.0 1.3 35.0 1.2 15.0 1.0
Middle 68,157 62.1 47.0 1.0 37.3 1.1 15.7 0.8
High 87,144 74.4 49.0 0.9 37.1 0.8 13.9 0.6
Residence locationd Metropolitan-large 116,818 65.3 46.6 0.8 36.2 0.7 17.3 0.6
Metropolitan-small 61,870 67.4 50.6 1.1 36.6 1.0 12.8 0.6
Micropolitan 24,112 65.1 51.4 2.1 35.5 1.9 13.2 1.1
Noncore-adjacent 9,153 64.8 50.7 2.5 37.0 2.8 12.3 1.6
Noncore-not adjacent 4,047 68.3 46.1 2.6 42.7 2.6 11.2 1.8
Perceived health status Excellent/very good/good 186,777 63.9 49.1 0.6 36.3 0.6 14.6 0.5
Fair/poor 29,182 79.1 45.0 1.3 36.8 1.2 18.1 0.9

a 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.

b Employment status for persons ages 18-64 only.

c 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.

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

e Total adult population, age 18 and over. Numbers may not add to total due to missing data or rounding.

DSU - 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.

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

 
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