Source of Usual Care for Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024

Introduction: This report uses 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to examine sources of usual health care among adults age 18 and older by sex and age group. Methods: Data from the 2024 NHIS were used for this analysis. Point estimates and corresponding variances were calculated using SAS-callable SUDAAN software to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Linear trends by age group were evaluated using orthogonal polynomials in logistic regression. Key Findings: In 2024, 9 in 10 adults reported having a source of usual health care, with women more likely to report having a source of usual care (93.3%) than men (87.1%). Women were more likely to report a doctor's office or health center as their source of usual care (82.2%) compared with men (72.6%). The percentage of adults reporting an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store as their source of usual care declined with age. The percentage of adults with a Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center or VA outpatient clinic as their source of usual care increased with age. Men were more likely (2.0%) than women (1.5%) to report a hospital emergency room as their usual source of health care.