Skip to main content

CDC Report Addresses Nonfinancial Access Barriers to Care in 2022

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 1, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2024 -- Nonfinancial access barriers to care represent a persistent problem in the United States, with more than 12 percent of adults reporting being too busy to go to a provider, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in the National Health Statistics Reports, a publication from the National Center for Health Statistics.

Amanda E. Ng, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues used data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey to estimate the percentage of adults who delayed or did not get medical care in the past 12 months because of five nonfinancial access barriers to care.

The researchers found that 12.5 percent of U.S. adults delayed or did not get medical care in the past 12 months because they were too busy to go to a provider; 10.6, 4.6, 4.4, and 2.4 percent could not find an available appointment when needed, were unable to get to a provider when open, had difficulty finding a doctor compatible with their health insurance, and noted that it takes too long to get to a provider, respectively. There was variation observed in the percentages by sociodemographic characteristics.

"Focusing on nonfinancial access barriers to care, in addition to financial barriers, is important for informing why adults in the United States may have unmet care needs, and for bridging existing disparities in access," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Pulmonary Embolism More Common in Children Than Previously Thought

THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- Pulmonary embolism (PE) is more common in children than previously thought, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2025...

Persistent, New Mucus Plugs Associated With Faster Decline in FEV1 in COPD

WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), persistent and newly formed mucus plugs are associated with a faster decrease in forced...

Combinations of Chronic, Physical Illnesses Up the Risk of Subsequent Depression

WEDNESDAY, May 21, 2025 -- Certain groups of physical multimorbidity may be associated with a higher risk of subsequent depression, according to a study published online May 13...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.