February 4, 2010 |
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More than 18.4 million full-time employees aged 18 to 64 (15.5 percent of the estimated 118.4 million full-time workers in that age range) had no health insurance coverage, according to NSDUH data averaged for 2007 and 2008. These uninsured full-time workers represented over half (54.5 percent) of the Nation's estimated 33.8 million uninsured adults under age 65.
Full-time workers in some sociodemographic groups were more likely than those in other groups to be without health insurance. Among full-time workers, lack of health insurance was more common among males than females, among younger adults (i.e., aged 18 to 25) than those aged 26 to 49 or 50 to 64, and among Hispanics than individuals in other racial/ethnic categories (Table 1). Education and income also were related to health insurance coverage: Full-time workers with the least education and lowest incomes were the most likely to be without health insurance.
Sociodemographic Characteristic | No Health Insurance Coverage, Number (in Thousands) |
No Health Insurance Coverage, Percent |
---|---|---|
Total | 18,414 | 15.5 |
Aged 18 to 25 | 4,396 | 29.0 |
Aged 26 to 49 | 11,218 | 15.7 |
Aged 50 to 64 | 2,800 | 8.8 |
Male | 11,793 | 17.3 |
Female | 6,621 | 13.1 |
White | 9,305 | 11.7 |
Black or African American | 2,194 | 15.8 |
American Indian or Alaska Native | 69 | 15.0 |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander |
* | * |
Asian | 568 | 10.6 |
Two or More Races | 194 | 18.0 |
Hispanic or Latino | 6,027 | 34.2 |
Less Than High School | 5,646 | 42.5 |
High School Graduate | 6,675 | 19.6 |
Some College | 4,197 | 13.2 |
College Graduate | 1,896 | 4.8 |
Family Income, Less Than $20,000 | 5,009 | 48.6 |
Family Income, $20,000 to $49,999 | 9,046 | 24.7 |
Family Income, $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,427 | 9.7 |
Family Income, $75,000 or More | 1,932 | 4.2 |
* Data were suppressed because of low precision. Source: 2007 and 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
An estimated 3.0 million uninsured full-time workers (16.3 percent) needed treatment for alcohol or illicit drug use in the past year. About 13.3 percent needed alcohol use treatment, and 5.6 percent needed illicit drug use treatment; 2.7 percent were in need of both alcohol and illicit drug use treatment.
Among uninsured workers, the need for substance use treatment was higher among males than females (19.2 vs. 11.2 percent) (Figure 1). The need decreased with age: 24.4 percent among those aged 18 to 25, 15.5 percent among those aged 26 to 49, and 6.9 percent among those aged 50 to 64.
Demographic Characteristics | Percent Needing Treatment |
---|---|
Aged 18 to 25 | 24.4% |
Aged 26 to 49 | 15.5% |
Aged 50 to 64 | 6.9% |
Male | 19.2% |
Female | 11.2% |
Source: 2007 and 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs) |
Of the uninsured full-time workers who needed substance use treatment in the past year, 12.6 percent (378,000 persons) received treatment at a specialty facility (Figure 2). The remaining 87.4 percent needed but did not receive such treatment, including 6.6 percent who recognized that they needed treatment and 80.8 percent who did not perceive a need for it.
Receipt of and Perceived Need for Treatment | Percent |
---|---|
Did Not Receive Substance Use Treatment and Did Not Perceive a Need for Treatment | 80.8% |
Received Substance Use Treatment | 12.6% |
Did Not Receive Substance Use Treatment but Perceived a Need for Treatment | 6.6% |
Source: 2007 and 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Among uninsured full-time workers in need of treatment, males were more likely than females to have received treatment at a specialty facility (14.4 vs. 6.9 percent) (Figure 3). There was no statistically significant difference in receipt of treatment between uninsured workers aged 18 to 25 and those aged 26 to 49; estimates for uninsured workers aged 50 to 64 were suppressed because of low precision.
Demographic Characteristic | Percent Receiving Treatment |
---|---|
Aged 18 to 25 | 10.5% |
Aged 26 to 49 | 12.1% |
Male | 14.4% |
Female | 6.9% |
* Data for the 50 to 64 age group were suppressed because of low precision. Source: 2007 and 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Although the public might assume that most adults without health insurance are unemployed or part-time workers, the reality is just the opposite. Over 18 million adults aged 18 to 64 were working full time and had no health insurance coverage; this represents more than half of uninsured nonelderly adults. NSDUH data indicate that there is a substantial need for substance use treatment among uninsured workers—particularly among males and workers aged 18 to 25. Few of those who needed treatment received it. Given the health, economic, and social consequences of untreated substance use disorders, uninsured workers need access to effective substance use treatment services and high-quality care. Addressing the substance use treatment needs of uninsured workers with treatment and recovery services that are coordinated and integrated with primary health care may result in improved health outcomes and greater productivity.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 2007 and 2008 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 10,210 persons aged 18 to 64 who were employed full time and were without health care insurance. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information on the most recent NSDUH is available in the following publication: Office of Applied Studies. (2009). Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 09-4434, NSDUH Series H-36). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. |
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov.
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This page was last updated on September 29, 2009. |
SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.
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