Receipt of preventive care among adults: insurance status and usual source of care

Am J Public Health. 2003 May;93(5):786-91. doi: 10.2105/ajph.93.5.786.

Abstract

Objectives: This study ascertained the separate and combined effects of having insurance and a usual source of care on receiving preventive services.

Methods: Descriptive and multivariate analyses of 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were conducted.

Results: Receipt of preventive services was strongly associated with insurance and a usual source of care. Significant differences were found between insured adults with a usual source of care, who were most likely to have received services, compared with uninsured adults without regular care, who were least likely to have received services. Those with either a usual source of care or insurance had intermediate levels of preventive services.

Conclusions: Having a usual source of care and health insurance are both important to achieving national prevention goals.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Continuity of Patient Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Health Expenditures / statistics & numerical data*
  • Health Services Accessibility*
  • Humans
  • Insurance Coverage / statistics & numerical data
  • Insurance, Health / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Medically Uninsured / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Preventive Health Services / classification
  • Preventive Health Services / economics
  • Preventive Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Distribution
  • United States