Health and mental health
Percent of people covered by private or government-funded health insurance.
U.S. Census Bureau, Health Insurance Historical Tables, HIC Series. The Census Bureau’s estimates are based on the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC).
In 2014, the Census Bureau implemented a complete redesign of the health insurance questions in the CPS ASEC. The new questions improve upon the previous questionnaire, which produced health insurance estimates that were not in line with those produced by other federal surveys or administrative records. However, because of the redesign, the estimates for years 2013 and later are not directly comparable to 2012 and prior years. Estimates for earlier years are therefore not included in the graphing utility.
Percent of poor children under 18 who are not covered by health insurance.
U.S. Census Bureau, Health Insurance Historical Tables, HIC Series. The Census Bureau’s estimates are based on the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC).
In 2014, the Census Bureau implemented a complete redesign of the health insurance questions in the CPS ASEC. The new questions improve upon the previous questionnaire, which produced health insurance estimates that were not in line with those produced by other federal surveys or administrative records. However, because of the redesign, the estimates for years 2013 and later are not directly comparable to 2012 and prior years. Estimates for earlier years are therefore not included in the graphing utility.
To classify people as poor, the Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition. If a family's total income is below the poverty threshold relevant to that family, then every individual in the family is classified as poor. The official poverty thresholds do not vary geographically, but they are updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes as its measure of income, and it does not include capital gains or noncash benefits such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps. For more information, see the Census Bureau’s poverty definitions.
Percent of live births with birth weight of less than 2,500 grams.
Live births with unknown birth weight are excluded.
Prior to 1993, some states did not report Hispanic origin on the birth certificate; these states are excluded from the estimates for Hispanic mothers (any race), White Non-Hispanic mothers, and Black Non-Hispanic mothers. Data for White Non-Hispanic and Black Non-Hispanic mothers prior to 1989 are not nationally representative and are provided solely for comparison with the data for Hispanic mothers.
Percent of people younger than 18 who currently have asthma.
ChildStats.gov, America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being. The estimates are based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey.
In the National Health Interview Survey, the child’s parent is asked, “Has a doctor or other health professional ever told you that your child has asthma?” If the parent answers yes to this question, then they are asked, “Does your child still have asthma?” Children are identified as currently having asthma if they have ever been diagnosed with asthma and still have it.
Age-adjusted percent of people age 18 and over with self-reported heart disease.
Self-reported heart disease is based on responses to questions about whether respondents had ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had coronary heart disease (angina pectoris), a heart attack (myocardial infarction), or any other kind of heart disease or heart condition.
Estimates are age-adjusted to the year 2000 standard population using five age groups: 18-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years, and 75 years and over. The youngest age group for the sub-populations Less than High School Degree [Age 25+], High School Degree [Age 25+], and Some College or More [Age 25+] is 25-44 years instead of 18-44 years.
Data for some sub-populations in some years are omitted because the estimates have a relative standard error of 20 to 30 percent and are considered unreliable.
In 2002, there were substantial changes in the racial categories used by the Census Bureau. Time series by race that include data from both racial classifications should be interpreted with care. More details on the changes in racial categories.
Age-adjusted percent of people age 18 and over with self-reported cancer.
Self-reported cancer is based on responses to a question about whether respondents had ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had cancer or a malignancy of any kind, excluding squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas.
Estimates are age-adjusted to the year 2000 standard population using five age groups: 18-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years, and 75 years and over. The youngest age group for the sub-populations Less than High School Degree [Age 25+], High School Degree [Age 25+], and Some College or More [Age 25+] is 25-44 years instead of 18-44 years.
Data for some sub-populations in some years are omitted because the estimates have a relative standard error of 20 to 30 percent and are considered unreliable.
In 2002, there were substantial changes in the racial categories used by the Census Bureau. Time series by race that include data from both racial classifications should be interpreted with care. More details on the changes in racial categories.
Age-adjusted percent of people age 20 and over who have been told by a doctor that they have diabetes, or who are undiagnosed but have a fasting plasma glucose of at least 126 mg/dL or a hemoglobin A1c of at least 6.5 percent.
Data are based on interviews and physical examinations of a sample of the civilian non-institutionalized population. Data exclude women who reported having diabetes only during pregnancy. The NCHS reports data for seven-year or four-year periods (e.g., 1988-1994, 1999-2002, 2001-2004); Stanford CPI uses the middle year when data are reported for a seven-year period (e.g., 1991 for the period 1988-1994), and the third year when data are reported for a four-year period (e.g., 2001 for the period 1999-2002).
Estimates are age-adjusted to the year 2000 standard population using three age groups: 20-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65 years and over.
In 2002, there were substantial changes in the racial categories used by the Census Bureau. Time series by race that include data from both racial classifications should be interpreted with care. More details on the changes in racial categories.
Age-adjusted percent of people age 18 and over with self-reported low back pain during the last three months.
Low back pain lasting less than a day is not counted.
Estimates are age-adjusted to the year 2000 standard population using five age groups: 18-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years, and 75 years and over. The youngest age group for the sub-populations Less than High School Degree [Age 25+], High School Degree [Age 25+], and Some College or More [Age 25+] is 25-44 years instead of 18-44 years.
In 2002, there were substantial changes in the racial categories used by the Census Bureau. Time series by race that include data from both racial classifications should be interpreted with care. More details on the changes in racial categories.
Percent of people age 18 and over reporting serious psychological distress in the past 30 days.
National Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States. The estimates are based on data from the National Health Interview Survey.
Serious psychological distress is measured by asking respondents how often they experienced each of six symptoms of psychological distress in the past 30 days. The question reads, “During the past 30 days, how often did you feel…..So sad that nothing could cheer you up? Nervous? Restless or fidgety? Hopeless? That everything was an effort? Worthless?” Possible answers are “All of the time” (4 points), “Most of the time” (3 points), “Some of the time” (2 points), “A little of the time” (1 point”), and “None of the time” (0 points). The points are added together, yielding a total of 0 to 24 points. A threshold of 13 points or more is used to define serious psychological distress.
Age-adjusted percent of people age 18 and over who are current cigarette smokers.
Current cigarette smokers are defined as having ever smoked 100 cigarettes in one’s lifetime and currently smoking every day or some days.
Estimates are age-adjusted to the year 2000 standard population using five age groups: 18-24 years, 25-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-64 years, and 65 years and over. Estimates for the education-related subpopulations use only the oldest four age groups.
In 2002, there were substantial changes in the racial categories used by the Census Bureau. Time series by race that include data from both racial classifications should be interpreted with care. More details on the changes in racial categories.
Percent of people age 12 and over who report heavy alcohol use in the past 30 days.
National Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States. The estimates are based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks at a time on each of five or more days in the past 30 days.
Percent of people age 18 and over who report that, at some point during the past 12 months, they needed medical care but didn’t get it because they couldn’t afford it.
In the National Health Interview Survey people are asked, “During the past 12 months, was there any time when you needed medical care, but did not get it because you couldn’t afford it?” Response choices are yes and no. A small number of people each year refuse to answer the question or don’t know the answer; those people are not included in Stanford CPI’s estimates.
Percent of people age 18 and over who report that, at some point during the past 12 months, they needed dental care, including check-ups, but didn’t get it because they couldn’t afford it.
In the National Health Interview Survey people are asked, “During the past 12 months, was there any time when you needed any of the following, but did not get it because you couldn’t afford it? ….Dental care (including check ups).” Response choices are yes and no. A small number of people each year refuse to answer the question or don’t know the answer; those people are not included in Stanford CPI’s estimates.
Percent of people age 18 and over who report that, at some point during the past 12 months, they needed eyeglasses but didn’t get them because they couldn’t afford them.
In the National Health Interview Survey people are asked, “During the past 12 months, was there any time when you needed any of the following, but did not get it because you couldn’t afford it? ….Eyeglasses.” Response choices are yes and no. A small number of people each year refuse to answer the question or don’t know the answer; those people are not included in Stanford CPI’s estimates.
Percent of people age 18 and over who report that at some point during the past 12 months, they needed prescription medicines but didn’t get them because they couldn’t afford them.
In the National Health Interview Survey people are asked, “During the past 12 months, was there any time when you needed any of the following, but did not get it because you couldn’t afford it? ….Prescription medicines.” Response choices are yes and no. A small number of people each year refuse to answer the question or don’t know the answer; those people are not included in Stanford CPI’s estimates.
Percent of people age 18 and over who report that at some point during the past 12 months, they needed mental health care or counseling but didn’t get it because they couldn’t afford it.
In the National Health Interview Survey people are asked, “During the past 12 months, was there any time when you needed any of the following, but did not get it because you couldn’t afford it? ….Mental health care or counseling.” Response choices are yes and no. A small number of people each year refuse to answer the question or don’t know the answer; those people are not included in Stanford CPI’s estimates.
The sum of public and private health expenditures, in constant dollars, divided by the total population.
Health expenditures cover the provision of health services (preventative and curative), family planning activities, nutrition activities, and emergency aid designated for health. It does not include the provision of water and sanitation.
Expenditures are adjusted for inflation using the price index for Gross Domestic Product. See Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income and Product Accounts, table 1.1.4.