A lack of health insurance may be the precursor to future health problems and as such a risk-factor of dependence.
Figure ECON 10. Percent of Persons Without Health Insurance by Age, 1996
- Among all age categories, young adults age 18 to 24 were the most likely to be without health insurance in 1996 (29 percent).
- Sixteen percent of the population was without health insurance in 1996 as shown in Table ECON 10.
- Table ECON 10 also shows that among racial groups, a much larger percentage of Hispanics were without health insurance (34 percent) than non-Hispanic whites (12 percent) or non-Hispanic blacks (22 percent).
Table ECON 10. Percent of Persons Without Health Insurance by Age, 1996
| Category | Percent |
|---|---|
| All Persons | 16 |
| Non-Hispanic White | 12 |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 22 |
| Hispanic | 34 |
| Other | 21 |
| Children 0 - 5 | 14 |
| Children 6 - 8 | 14 |
| Children 9 - 11 | 15 |
| Children 12 - 14 | 16 |
| Children 15 - 17 | 17 |
| Total 0 - 17 | 15 |
| Adults 18 - 24 | 29 |
| Adults 25 - 34 | 22 |
| Adults 35 - 44 | 16 |
| Adults 45 - 54 | 14 |
| Adults 55 - 64 | 14 |
| Women Age 18 - 64 | 14 |
| Men Age 18 - 64 | 18 |
| Adults Age 65 and over | 1 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, March Current Population Survey, 1997.