Most Adults Report Source of Usual Health Care in U.S. in 2024

TUESDAY, April 14, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Nine of 10 adults in the United States report having had a source of usual health care in 2024, according to an April data brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics.Laryssa Mykyta, Ph.D., and Julie D. Weeks, Ph.D., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, used data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey to examine the source of usual health care for adults aged 18 years and older.The researchers found that about 90 percent of adults reported having a source of usual health care in 2024, with women more likely to report having a source of usual care than men (93.3 versus 87.1 percent). Compared with men, women were more likely to report a doctor's office or health center as their usual source of care (82.2 versus 72.6 percent). With age, there was a decline in the percentage of adults reporting an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store as their source of usual care. With age, there was an increase in the percentage of adults with a Veterans Affairs medical center or outpatient clinic as their source of usual care. Compared with women, men were more likely to report a hospital emergency room as their usual source of health care (2.0 versus 1.5 percent).Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Most Adults Report Source of Usual Health Care in U.S. in 2024

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