2010 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey

Posted by on July 25, 2011

Survey describes health, well-being of region’s young adults

Public Health Management Corporation has released an analysis of the findings of its 2010 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey on the health and well-being of young adults aged 18-29 residing  in the five-county region.  The analysis presents information about health insurance and prescription drug coverage as well as access to care, health behaviors and screenings, and neighborhood and housing indicators.

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The survey showed that in the region, young adults are more likely to not have insurance coverage than any other age group, particularly health and prescription drug coverage.  More than one-fifth of young adults 18-29 years (20.8%) do not have health insurance coverage, representing 103,600 young adults. Young adults are the age group most likely to not have health insurance coverage: children 0-5 years (3.2%), children 6-12 years (3.1%), adolescents 13-17 years (4.0%), adults 30-49 years (11.0%), and adults 50-64 years (6.8%).  Young adult men (23.4%) are more likely than young adult women (18.4%) to not have health insurance.

People of color who are young adults are also less likely to have health insurance.  More than two-fifths of Latino young adults (44.2%) are without health insurance, compared with Asian young adults (22.6%), black young adults (21.5%), and white young adults (15.7%).  Income also plays a role: more than one-quarter young adults living below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (26.6%) do not have health insurance, compared with 19.1% of young adults living at or above 150% of the poverty level.

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, while young adults are the least likely age group to be in fair or poor health, they are more likely to have some chronic health conditions.   More than one-fifth of young adults (21.4%) have ever been told by a healthcare professional they have asthma, compared with adults 30-49 years (14.5%), adults 50-64 years (15.4%), and adults 65 years or older (9.5%).

Young adults are less likely to be overweight (29.5%), compared with adults 30-49 years (34.2%), adults 50-64 years (37.4%), and adults 65 years or older (40.9%).

Nearly one-fifth of young adults (18.2%) has had to forego medical care due to cost factors, compared with adults 30-49 years (15.1%), adults 50-64 years (11.1%), and adults 65 years or older (3.9%).

Approximately one-quarter of young adults 18-29 years (24.3%) smokes cigarettes, which is similar with the percentage of adults 30-49 years (22.8%) and adults 50-64 years (21.2%), but higher than the percentage of adults 65 years or older (11.2%).

Nearly two-fifths of young adults (39.1%) have had an HIV test within the past year, compared with adults 30-49 years (25.9%), adults 50-64 years (14.7%), and adults 65 years or older (8.9%).

In Southeastern Pennsylvania, young adults are less likely to express favorable views of their neighbors. Young adults are more likely than other adults to rent their home or to use public transportation to get to work.

More than one-third of young adults 18-29 years has feelings of distrust of their neighbors (34.5%), compared with adults 30-49 years (20.3%), adults 50-64 years (16.5%), and adults 65 years or older (10.4%). Among young adults, more than one-half of black young adults (53.1%) and Latino young adults (51.2%) have feelings of distrust of their neighbors, compared with one-third of Asian young adults (33.7%) and nearly one-quarter of white young adults (22.5%).

Young adults are less likely to feel they belong in their neighborhood (18.5%), compared with adults 30-49 years (11.4%), adults 50-64 years (10.3%), and adults 65 years or older (5.6%).

Among employed adults, nearly one-fifth of young adults (19.0%) took public transportation to get to work in the past week, compared with adults 30-49 years (12.6%), adults 50-64 years (9.7%), and adults 65 years or older (6.0%).

Findings from the 2010 Household Health Survey indicate young adults are less connected to the healthcare system than any other age group, as young adults are less likely to have health insurance, prescription drug coverage, or a regular source of care compared with adults 30 years of age or older. Young adults are also more likely than any other age group to have experienced cost barriers to receiving healthcare within the past year. Additionally, survey findings reveal insurance and access to care disparities exist among the young adult population.

For more information about the findings, email Nicole Dreisbach at nicoled@phmc.org.