TABLE 1.
Characteristics of Respondents to the 2011 and 2016 MEPS Experiences With Cancer Survey
| Characteristic | 2011 (n = 1,202) | 2016 (n = 1,064) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | |||
| 18–44 | 105 (7.8) | 95 (8.0) | .2532 |
| 45–49 | 70 (5.3) | 50 (4.3) | |
| 50–54 | 105 (8.8) | 74 (6.9) | |
| 55–59 | 118 (10.0) | 101 (8.9) | |
| 60–64 | 167 (13.6) | 114 (11.8) | |
| 65–69 | 177 (14.6) | 159 (15.1) | |
| 70–74 | 140 (12.9) | 148 (14.4) | |
| 75–84 | 226 (18.8) | 251 (23.8) | |
| ≥ 80 | 94 (8.3) | 72 (6.7) | |
| Sex | |||
| Female | 735 (57.5) | 649 (59.8) | .3250 |
| Male | 467 (42.5) | 415 (40.2) | |
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| Non-Hispanic white | 910 (85.9) | 742 (82.7) | .0151 |
| Non-Hispanic black | 153 (6.6) | 130 (6.5) | |
| Other | 139 (7.5) | 192 (10.9) | |
| Marital status | |||
| Currently married | 640 (57.2) | 576 (58.9) | .4869 |
| Other | 562 (42.8) | 488 (41.1) | |
| Education | |||
| < High school/missing* | 251 (15.5) | 215 (15.2) | .6864 |
| High school | 552 (44.8) | 454 (43.0) | |
| College | 194 (19.4) | 174 (19.0) | |
| Advanced degree | 205 (20.3) | 221 (22.8) | |
| Income level† | |||
| Low | 268 (14.6) | 230 (15.7) | .1525 |
| Middle | 537 (42.4) | 436 (37.5) | |
| High | 397 (43.0) | 398 (46.8) | |
| Insurance coverage | |||
| Any private | 746 (68.9) | 603 (63.6) | < .0245 |
| Public only/uninsured‡ | 391 (31.1) | 461 (36.4) | |
| Usual source of care | |||
| No | 118 (7.9) | 75 (6.4) | .2431 |
| Yes | 1,084 (92.1) | 989 (93.6) | |
| Number of comorbidities§ | |||
| 0 | 243 (20.9) | 177 (17.1) | .3346 |
| 1 | 282 (25.6) | 277 (27.2) | |
| 2 | 309 (24.5) | 269 (25.9) | |
| 3 | 188 (15.3) | 198 (16.9) | |
| ≥ 4 | 180 (13.7) | 143 (12.9) | |
| Time since last cancer treatment, years | |||
| Currently receiving treatment | 177 (15.3) | 165 (14.5) | .1084 |
| < 1 | 101 (8.8) | 93 (9.7) | |
| 1–3 | 138 (11.5) | 108 (9.4) | |
| 4–5 | 126 (10.5) | 104 (9.7) | |
| > 5 | 515 (43.0) | 444 (43.2) | |
| Never treated | 95 (7.2) | 71 (6.4) | |
| Not ascertained | 50 (3.7) | 79 (7.1) | |
| Cancer type | |||
| Colon | 70 (5.4) | 79 (7.0) | .0815 |
| Prostate | 179 (16.2) | 162 (14.2) | |
| Breast | 254 (19.2) | 239 (22.2) | |
| Uterus | 65 (4.4) | 65 (6.1) | |
| Other | 634 (54.8) | 519 (48.8) |
NOTE. Data are given as No. (weighted %), unless otherwise noted.
Abbreviation: MEPS, Medical Expenditures Panel Survey.
*
Less than 0.5% missing in 2011 and 2016.
†
Low, middle, and high income categorized as less than 100% to 124%, 125% to 399%, and 400% or more of the federal poverty line, respectively.
‡
Proportions of uninsured < 5% in 2011 and < 2% in 2016.
§
Derived from the following eight self-reported ailments: arthritis, asthma, cerebrovascular disease, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, emphysema, hypertension, and myocardial infarction.