Indicator: Percent with Unmet Medical Need
Percent with unmet medical needs are the respondents, 18 years of age and older, who did not seek medical care because of the cost. - Most recent data (2008): 9.6%, or about 143,000 King County adults aged 18 and over, did not seek medical care due to the cost
Data note: This indicator, the percent of adults with unmet medical need due to cost in the last 12 months, shows falling rates over the last five years (2004 to 2008). This pattern may seem to contradict the 2007-to-2008 economic decline. Data users should keep in mind that the data come from a random telephone survey of King County adults and that the trends are averaged over the entire time period, which saw both robust economic expansion as well as the U.S. recession beginning in December 2007. Changes in this indicator from 2007 to 2008 were well within survey error. Therefore, a short-term turnaround is difficult to detect. We are continuing to monitor quarterly data updates on this important measure to look for changes. For current data on recession-sensitive measures, see King County Communities Count Data Updates. | Sections: Indicators | Comparison Data | Health Planning Areas
| . |
Trend Over Time |
Demographic Differences |
Last 10 Years |
Last 5 Years |
5-year Average, 2004-2008 |
1997-2008 |
2004-2008 |
Percent |
Lower CI |
Upper CI |
All |
--- |
▼ |
10.9 |
10.2 |
11.8 |
Age |
<18 |
N/A |
N/A |
. |
. |
. |
18-24 |
--- |
--- |
19.6 |
16.2 |
23.6 |
25-44 |
--- |
▼ |
12.5 |
11.2 |
14.1 |
45-64 |
▲ |
▼ |
8.8 |
8.1 |
9.7 |
65+ |
▲ |
--- |
3.3 |
2.6 |
4.3 |
Gender |
Male |
--- |
▼ |
9.5 |
8.3 |
10.9 |
Female |
▲ |
--- |
12.3 |
11.4 |
13.4 |
Race/Ethnicity |
African American |
--- |
--- |
24.6 |
16.5 |
35.0 |
American Indian/AN |
^ |
^ |
23.6 |
15.5 |
34.4 |
Asian/PI |
--- |
--- |
9.3 |
7.3 |
11.7 |
Hispanic/Latino |
--- |
--- |
27.2 |
22.7 |
32.2 |
White |
--- |
▼ |
9.4 |
8.7 |
10.1 |
Annual Household Income |
<$15,000 |
--- |
--- |
26.0 |
21.9 |
30.6 |
$15,000-$24,999 |
▲ |
--- |
28.1 |
24.7 |
31.7 |
$25,000-$34,999 |
▲ |
--- |
17.3 |
14.7 |
20.2 |
$35,000-$49,999 |
--- |
--- |
12.6 |
9.4 |
16.6 |
$50,000+ |
--- |
--- |
4.7 |
4.1 |
5.4 |
Region |
East |
--- |
--- |
7.3 |
6.1 |
8.7 |
South |
--- |
--- |
13.2 |
11.7 |
14.9 |
Seattle |
--- |
▼ |
10.7 |
9.5 |
12.1 |
North |
--- |
--- |
9.7 |
7.9 |
11.9 |            |
