TABLE 1—
Demographic and Health Characteristics of US-Born Persons and of Immigrants Residing in the United States: 1998
| US-Born Persons, % (n = 18 398)a | Immigrants, % (n = 2843)b | P | |
| Age, y | <.0001 | ||
| Birth–11 | 16.7 | 3.0 | |
| 12–17 | 9.7 | 4.4 | |
| 18–44 | 38.8 | 55.5 | |
| 45–64 | 22.0 | 25.9 | |
| ≥ 65 | 12.9 | 11.3 | |
| Gender | NS | ||
| Male | 48.5 | 49.7 | |
| Female | 51.5 | 50.3 | |
| Race/ethnicity | <.0001 | ||
| White | 77.4 | 28.4 | |
| Black | 13.1 | 6.0 | |
| Hispanic | 7.8 | 42.6 | |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.1 | 23.0 | |
| Insurance status | <.0001 | ||
| Any private | 74.9 | 58.1 | |
| Public only | 15.0 | 17.3 | |
| Uninsured | 10.0 | 24.6 | |
| Family income as % of federal poverty level | <.0001 | ||
| Poor (< 100) | 12.0 | 16.1 | |
| Near-poor (100 to < 125) | 4.0 | 5.7 | |
| Low (125 to < 200) | 12.7 | 17.8 | |
| Middle (200 to < 400) | 32.7 | 29.9 | |
| High (≥ 400) | 38.6 | 30.6 | |
| Heath status | .03 | ||
| Excellent | 35.1 | 29.2 | |
| Very good | 31.2 | 30.4 | |
| Good | 22.9 | 27.6 | |
| Fair | 7.8 | 9.7 | |
| Poor | 3.1 | 3.2 | |
| Education (among adults) | <.0001 | ||
| < Grade 8 | 4.8 | 18.3 | |
| Grades 8–12 | 46.8 | 38.1 | |
| > Grade 12 | 48.2 | 43.2 | |
| Region of country | <.0001 | ||
| Northeast | 18.4 | 24.9 | |
| Midwest | 25.1 | 9.3 | |
| South | 36.3 | 23.0 | |
| West | 20.2 | 42.8 | |
| Residence in metropolitan statistical area | <.0001 | ||
| Yes | 78.9 | 95.1 | |
| No | 21.1 | 4.9 |
Note. NS = nonsignificant. Data are from the 1998 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the 1996–1997 National Health Interview Survey.
a Total US-born population = 229 million.
b Total immigrant population = 25 million.