In 2017, 57.9% of adults aged 18–64 years and 86.1% of adults aged ≥65 years were prescribed medication in the past 12 months. Overall and for both men and women separately, receipt of a prescription increased with age. Among both age groups, a greater percentage of women were prescribed medication than men, with 64.3% of women and 51.3% of men aged 18–64 years and 87.1% of women and 85.0% of men aged ≥65 years having been prescribed medication.
Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm.
Footnotes
With 95% confidence intervals indicated by error bars.
Based on a positive response to the question “During the past 12 months, were you prescribed medication by a doctor or other health professional?”
Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population and are derived from the National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult component.