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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Reported to Have Excellent or Very Good Health,* by Race^† --- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2008^§

The figure shows the percentage of adults 18 years or older reported to have excellent or very good health, by race in the United States in 2008. In that year, 61.5% of U.S. adults had excellent or very good health. The percentage of adults who had excellent or very good health ranged from 42.8% for AI/AN adults to 64.8% for Asian adults. Asian and white adults had higher percentages of excellent or very good health compared with black and AI/AN adults.

* In response to the question, "Would you say [subject's] health in general was excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?" Health status data were obtained by asking respondents to assess their own health and that of other family members living in the same household.

^† Limited to persons who indicated only a single race.

^§ 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. Estimates were age adjusted using the projected 2000 U.S. population as the standard population and the following age groups: 18--44 years, 45--64 years, 65--74 years, and ≥75 years.

^¶ 95% confidence interval.

In 2008, 61.5% of U.S. adults had excellent or very good health. The percentage of adults who had excellent or very good health ranged from 42.8% for AI/AN adults to 64.8% for Asian adults. Asian and white adults had higher percentages of excellent or very good health compared with black and AI/AN adults.

SOURCE: Pleis JR, Lucas JW, Ward BW. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2008. Provisional report. Vital Health Stat 2009;10(242). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_242.pdf.

Alternate Text: The figure shows the percentage of adults 18 years or older reported to have excellent or very good health, by race in the United States in 2008. In that year, 61.5% of U.S. adults had excellent or very good health. The percentage of adults who had excellent or very good health ranged from 42.8% for AI/AN adults to 64.8% for Asian adults. Asian and white adults had higher percentages of excellent or very good health compared with black and AI/AN adults.

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Date last reviewed: 11/19/2009

QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Reported to Have Excellent or Very Good Health,* by Race† --- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2008§

QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Reported to Have Excellent or Very Good Health,* by Race^† --- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2008^§