Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2000

Abstract

Objectives: This report presents health statistics from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey for the civilian noninstitutionalized adult population, classified by sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, poverty status, and region of residence for chronic condition prevalence, health status and limitations in activity, health care access and utilization, health behaviors, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing. Also, health statistics by education, income, health insurance coverage, marital status, and place of residence are presented for health status and limitations in activity, health care access and utilization, health behaviors, and knowledge and attitudes toward HIV.

Source of data: The NHIS is a multistage probability sample survey conducted annually by interviewers of the U.S. Census Bureau for the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Sociodemographic data are collected for everyone in the family during face-to-face interviews with adults present at the time of the interview. The health information for adults in this report was obtained from one randomly selected adult per family.

Highlights: In 2000, 64% of adults 18 years of age and over reported excellent or very good health. Eighteen percent of adults under 65 years of age had no health insurance coverage, and 14% of adults did not have a usual place of health care. Eleven percent of adults had ever been told by a doctor or health professional that they had heart disease, and 20% had been told on two or more visits that they had hypertension. Nearly a quarter of adults were current smokers, and 22% were former smokers. Sixty percent did not engage in any leisure-time vigorous physical activity, and, based on estimates of body mass index, 35% were overweight and 21% were obese.