Lack of health insurance coverage among working-age adults, evidence from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1993-2006

To use data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to examine trends in the lack of health insurance coverage among working-age US adults and to identify populations without coverage. The BRFSS data from 1993 to 2006 were analyzed. SUDAAN software was used to generate estimates of prevalence and corresponding standard errors, and logistic regression techniques were used to examine trends in the data. An estimated 18.59% of working adults (aged 18-64 years) did not have health insurance coverage in 2006. Trend in uninsurance remained somewhat stable from 1993 to 2000 (OR = 1.01; 95% CI 1.00-1.02); however, it changed more rapidly from 2001 to 2006 (OR = 1.03; 1.02-1.03). Similar patterns were observed from 2001 to 2006 for those < 35 years of age, employed, Hispanics and those with less than or high school education. Effective approaches to reducing uninsurance and the consequences related to lack of coverage are needed in the face of increasing health disparities in the United States.