14 statistics you probably didn't know about preventative health care in the United States
Though four in five Americans have health insurance, one in four didn't get a routine checkup last year.
Dr. Niket Sonpal, a gastroenterologist and an internist in New York City, told Insider last year that standard physicals and flu shots should be carried out every year. "If you are healthy and have no chronic conditions then once a year for an annual physical to the internist and once a year for your flu shot is at least the minimum," he said.
The rate of yearly checkups for those without health insurance was just 50%.
In the most recent Census Bureau report in 2018, the number of Americans without health insurance jumped for the first time since the Obamacare debate began in 2009. The Census Bureau reported that in 2018, 27.5 million people — or 8.5% of everyone in the US — didn't have health insurance. The number of uninsured people increased by 1.9 million people compared to 2017, when it stood at 25.6 million people, or 7.9% of the US population.
Nearly 1% of Americans, or about 3.31 million people, reported that they have never had a checkup in their life.
According to the National Group Health Alliance LLC, "a regular routine appointment with a primary care doctor, without any other tests involved, can cost anywhere from $150 to $300 without insurance."
Health Testing Center found that 21% of people making less than $15,000 a year reported they had never been insured.
Health Affairs reported strong evidence linking health and income levels. Not only does low income often lead to worse health, but those in poor health are reported to make less money. Sadly, income inequality in the United States has increased dramatically in recent decades, exacerbating levels of poor health among low-income Americans.
Only a third of insured Americans got a flu shot last year.
On March 9, Trump asked pharmaceutical executives in a health care conference if the flu shot could be used to vaccinate against COVID-19. One biotech CEO responded that the flu vaccine cannot be used to prevent COVID-19.
Only 17% of uninsured Americans got the vaccine last year.
The flu vaccine may change every year to react to different strains of the virus, which is why it's important to get a new shot each year.
GoodRx has a guide on how to get a discounted or free flu shot. Many colleges and employers offer students and employees free shots. Also a number of counties across the United States offer free flu shots.
Texas was the worst state for flu shots, with just 26% of residents getting vaccinated last year.
Texas also has the most rural hospitals closures of any state. Since 2010, 113 rural hospitals across the country have closed, and 18% of them were in Texas.
Washington, DC, was the best in the country for flu shots, but still less than half (44%) of residents got one last year.
The Washington Post recently reported that many Medicaid patients had to travel far out of their zip-codes to reach a hospital they were insured at in DC. There is still great disparity in healthcare throughout district neighborhoods.
Texas is also the worst state for health care coverage — 23% of the state's population is uninsured.
Hospital bills in Texas are the highest in the country. A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that Texas health care prices (before insurance) were on average 6.4 times higher than the amount allowed by Medicare in 2018.
In Washington, DC, on the other hand, 94.6% of residents have health care coverage.
Vermont was close behind — 93.7% of residents there have health care coverage. Massachusetts came in third, with 93.5% of residents covered.
Only 66% of Americans visited the dentist last year, though the American Dental Association recommends at least one yearly visit to already healthy individuals.
Since dental health is reflected by personal oral care habits, dentists at the American Dental Association don't have the same recommended number of yearly visits for everyone. They say the minimum is at least once per year, but those with compromised immune systems or poor oral hygiene may need more regular visits to prevent more serious problems.
Less than 50% of Americans were tested for HPV last year, even though it is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the United States.
More than half of women (51%) had never had an HPV test, according to the data from Health Testing Centers.
One in four women didn't have a pap smear test in over three years, despite expert recommendations to do so.
YouTuber Zoe Sugg, aka Zoella, pictured above, recently filmed herself getting a pap smear in an effort to encourage other women to do the same.
A pap smear test checks whether the cervix (the opening to the womb from the vagina) is healthy. It tests for pre-cancerous and abnormal cells, which if left untreated, can lead to cervical cancer.
Almost two in five women over 45 and without heath insurance were overdue for a mammogram last year.
In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a new rule for health care professionals, which will require them to reveal breast density to mammogram patients. It is more difficult for doctors to detect breast cancer in women with higher breast density.
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