TABLE 1—
Characteristics of the Analysis Sample (n = 76 705) by Education: United States, National Health Interview Surveys, 1997–2009
| Education |
|||||
| Total, % or Mean (SE) | 9–12 Years, % or Mean (SE) | GED, % or Mean (SE) | HS Graduate, % or Mean (SE) | P | |
| Total | 22.1 | 7.9 | 70.0 | ||
| Health conditions | |||||
| Hypertension | 30.0 | 35.1 | 32.4 | 28.1 | < .001 |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.6 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 3.1 | < .001 |
| Heart attack | 3.4 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 2.7 | < .001 |
| Heart condition | 7.2 | 8.6 | 9.2 | 6.5 | < .001 |
| Emphysema | 2.3 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 1.6 | < .001 |
| Asthma | 10.5 | 13.2 | 14.7 | 9.2 | < .001 |
| Chronic bronchitis, 12 mo | 6.4 | 8.7 | 9.2 | 5.3 | < .001 |
| Cancer (ever) | 6.2 | 6.7 | 7.9 | 5.9 | < .001 |
| Diabetes | 9.5 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 8.5 | < .001 |
| Ulcer | 10.1 | 12.9 | 14.0 | 8.8 | < .001 |
| Stroke | 2.4 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 1.9 | < .001 |
| Failing kidneys, past y | 1.8 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 1.4 | < .001 |
| Liver condition, past y | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 1.4 | < .001 |
| Sinusitis in past 12 mo | 17.0 | 17.8 | 19.3 | 16.5 | < .001 |
| Cold in past 2 wk | 13.5 | 16.3 | 15.5 | 12.5 | < .001 |
| Intestinal problem, 2 wk | 5.8 | 6.9 | 8.2 | 5.2 | < .001 |
| Lower back pain, 3 mo | 33.4 | 38.7 | 42.1 | 30.8 | < .001 |
| Migraine, past 3 mo | 18.1 | 21.5 | 24.2 | 16.4 | < .001 |
| Neck pain, past 3 mo | 18.0 | 20.6 | 24.2 | 16.5 | < .001 |
| Vision problems | 11.4 | 14.9 | 16.0 | 9.8 | < .001 |
| General health | |||||
| Any functional limitations | 38.2 | 46.7 | 47.3 | 34.5 | < .001 |
| Any activity limitations | 20.6 | 30.1 | 27.9 | 16.7 | < .001 |
| Needs help with ADLs | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.4 | < .001 |
| > 8 bed d | 10.1 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 8.3 | < .001 |
| Poor/fair health | 17.9 | 29.0 | 24.2 | 13.7 | < .001 |
| Sample characteristics | |||||
| Interview year | 2002.8 (0.03) | 2002.7 (0.05) | 2003.1 (0.07) | 2002.9 (0.03) | < .001 |
| Age, y | 47.0 (0.04) | 47.5 (0.09) | 45.7 (0.15) | 47.0 (0.05) | < .001 |
| Female | 53.6 | 53.4 | 51.7 | 53.8 | .019 |
| Race/ethnicity | < .001 | ||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 77.6 | 67.0 | 78.5 | 80.8 | |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 15.9 | 23.8 | 12.5 | 13.8 | |
| Hispanic | 5.1 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 4.1 | |
| Other | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.3 | |
| Married | 52.8 | 44.8 | 46.8 | 56.0 | < .001 |
| Health insurance | < .001 | ||||
| Uninsured | 17.4 | 23.9 | 23.1 | 14.6 | |
| Insured | 82.3 | 75.8 | 76.6 | 85.0 | |
| Unknown | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | |
| Employment | < .001 | ||||
| Employed | 68.0 | 55.3 | 63.2 | 72.6 | |
| Unemployed | 3.3 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 2.7 | |
| Not in LF | 28.5 | 40.1 | 31.2 | 24.5 | |
| Unknown | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | |
| Income categorya | < .001 | ||||
| Low | 36.2 | 51.6 | 49.2 | 29.9 | |
| Medium | 26.1 | 19.8 | 23.2 | 28.5 | |
| High | 17.7 | 9.6 | 11.4 | 21.0 | |
| Unknown | 20.0 | 19.0 | 16.2 | 20.7 | |
| Body weightb | < .001 | ||||
| Not obese | 65.7 | 63.3 | 63.5 | 66.8 | |
| Obese | 29.5 | 32.6 | 32.3 | 28.2 | |
| Unknown | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 5.0 | |
| Smoking | < .001 | ||||
| Never smoked | 40.5 | 32.5 | 24.7 | 44.9 | |
| Past smoker | 22.2 | 20.8 | 22.9 | 22.6 | |
| Current smoker | 36.2 | 45.9 | 51.6 | 31.4 | |
| Unknown | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.1 | |
| Alcohol use | < .001 | ||||
| Never | 18.7 | 22.0 | 15.4 | 18.1 | |
| Former | 19.3 | 23.4 | 23.1 | 17.5 | |
| Current moderate use | 55.0 | 47.0 | 53.5 | 57.6 | |
| Current heavy use | 4.4 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 4.0 | |
| Unknown | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.7 | |
Note. ADLs = activities of daily living; GED = graduate equivalency diploma; HS = high school; LF = labor force. Participants were US-born adults aged 30–65 years. Adjusted for sampling design.
a
Income categorized from the ratio of a family's income to the federally defined poverty threshold as low (< 250% of the poverty line), medium (250%–450% of the poverty line), and high (> 450% of the poverty line).
b
Body weight calculated from self-reported height and weight and used in models as a dichotomous indicator coded as nonobese (body mass index [BMI] < 30 kg/m2) versus obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2).