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Table 3.6b
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, 2002
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   211,389 66.6 46.0 0.6 37.2 0.5 16.8 0.4
Race White, single race 174,268 68.2 45.9 0.6 38.3 0.5 15.8 0.4
Black, single race 23,794 59.0 51.0 1.4 29.1 1.2 19.8 1.0
AI/AN, single race 1,765 62.6 48.4 6.3 37.4 6.2 14.2 3.3
Asian, single race 8,739 56.5 36.5 2.8 33.4 2.5 30.1 2.5
NHOPI, single race 569 DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU DSU
Multiple races 2,254 69.6 42.8 4.1 35.7 3.7 21.5 3.8
Ethnicity Hispanic, all races 25,849 49.2 45.5 1.5 30.0 1.2 24.5 1.3
Non-Hispanic, all races 185,541 69.1 46.1 0.6 37.9 0.5 16.0 0.4
Non-Hispanic, White 149,367 71.4 45.9 0.7 39.2 0.6 14.9 0.4
Non-Hispanic, Black 23,442 58.9 51.5 1.5 29.0 1.2 19.6 0.9
Non-Hispanic, other 12,731 59.8 39.4 2.0 34.7 1.9 25.9 2.0
Gender Male 101,486 57.6 46.8 0.8 37.4 0.7 15.8 0.6
Female 109,904 75.0 45.5 0.6 37.0 0.6 17.4 0.5
Age 18-44 109,805 57.5 40.7 0.8 37.9 0.7 21.4 0.6
45-64 67,411 73.3 46.3 0.9 38.4 0.9 15.3 0.5
65 and over 34,173 83.3 57.9 1.2 33.5 1.1 8.6 0.6
Educationa Less than high school 44,519 57.5 50.0 1.1 32.4 1.1 17.6 0.8
High school graduate 69,198 63.6 49.8 0.9 34.9 0.8 15.3 0.6
At least some college 96,344 72.9 42.2 0.7 40.3 0.7 17.4 0.5
Employment statusb Employed 142,664 62.1 42.1 0.7 38.9 0.6 18.9 0.5
Not employed 34,543 69.4 47.1 1.1 35.0 1.0 17.9 0.8
Health insurance, ages 18-64 Any private 134,592 68.5 42.8 0.7 39.6 0.6 17.6 0.5
Public only 14,896 68.8 48.2 1.4 30.2 1.5 21.6 1.2
Uninsured 27,728 36.2 41.8 1.9 32.0 1.8 26.2 1.5
Health insurance, age 65 and over Medicare only 9,790 79.7 57.2 2.0 32.0 2.1 10.8 1.3
Medicare and private 20,417 85.7 57.7 1.6 34.7 1.4 7.6 0.7
Medicare and other public 3,692 81.4 61.9 2.9 29.5 2.7 8.6 1.4
Family incomec Negative/poor 22,136 59.7 48.5 1.5 31.4 1.4 20.1 1.1
Near poor/low 36,048 61.3 48.6 1.3 34.1 1.2 17.3 0.8
Middle 66,429 63.3 47.4 0.8 35.7 0.8 16.9 0.7
High 86,776 73.1 43.8 0.9 40.4 0.8 15.8 0.6
Residence locationd Metropolitan-large 114,937 66.2 44.3 0.8 37.1 0.7 18.6 0.6
Metropolitan-small 61,731 66.9 46.8 1.0 38.1 0.9 15.1 0.7
Micropolitan 23,250 69.2 49.8 1.5 36.2 1.6 14.0 0.9
Noncore-adjacent 7,878 64.1 49.8 2.8 35.7 2.3 14.5 1.6
Noncore-not adjacent 3,593 66.1 55.5 2.3 32.9 2.5 11.6 1.9
Perceived health status Excellent/very good/good 183,616 64.4 45.9 0.6 37.9 0.5 16.2 0.4
Fair/poor 27,773 81.7 47.0 1.1 33.3 1.1 19.7 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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