QuickStats: Health-Care Visits* for Children Aged 1–17 Years, by Health Insurance Status† — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2006–2010

Weekly

December 2, 2011 / 60(47);1625

* Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population. One child aged <18 years was randomly selected per family; a parent or other knowledgeable adult provided information for the child. The number of health-care visits was based on response to the question, "During the past 12 months, how many times has [child] seen a doctor or other health-care professional about [his/her] health at a doctor's office, a clinic, or some other place? Do not include times [child] was hospitalized overnight, visits to hospital emergency rooms, home visits, telephone calls, or dental visits." Children aged <1 year were not included in this analysis. In addition, unknowns with respect to office visits and health insurance coverage were excluded from the denominators.

† Health insurance status indicates coverage at the time of interview. Public coverage includes Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), state-sponsored or other government-sponsored health plans, Medicare (disability), or military health plans (TRICARE, VA, or CHAMP-VA). Children with both public and private insurance coverage were included in the private coverage category.

§ 95% confidence interval.

The percentage of children aged 1–17 years who did not see a doctor or other health-care professional during the past 12 months was higher for children without health insurance coverage (33.8%) than for children with public health insurance coverage (10.3%) or those with private health insurance (8.7%). Children without health insurance also were more likely than children with public or private health insurance coverage to have had only one health-care visit during the past 12 months. Children with private health insurance coverage were more likely to have two to five health-care visits during the past 12 months than children with public health insurance coverage or children without health insurance coverage, but children with public health insurance coverage were more likely to have had six or more health-care visits during the past 12 months than children with private health insurance coverage or children without health insurance coverage.

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2006–2010. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

Alternate Text: The figure above shows health-care visits for children aged 1-17 years, by health insurance status in the United States, during 2006-2010, according to the National Health Interview Survey. The percentage of children aged 1-17 years who did not see a doctor or other health-care professional during the past 12 months was higher for children without health insurance coverage (33.8%) than for children with public health insurance coverage (10.3%) or those with private health insurance (8.7%). Children without health insurance also were more likely than children with public or private health insurance coverage to have had only one health-care visit during the past 12 months. Children with private health insurance coverage were more likely to have two to five health-care visits during the past 12 months than children with public health insurance coverage or children without health insurance coverage, but children with public health insurance coverage were more likely to have had six or more health-care visits during the past 12 months than children with private health insurance coverage or children without health insurance coverage.

QuickStats: Health-Care Visits* for Children Aged 1–17 Years, by Health Insurance Status† — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2006–2010