Disparities in access to care among US adults with self-reported hypertension

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Access to care has been identified as a significant factor affecting hypertension treatment and control. We examined disparities in access to care among US adults with self-reported hypertension.

Using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2011 data, we identified US adults with self-reported hypertension. Access to care was assessed based on responses to questions about health insurance, having an identified personal doctor, and cost barriers to visiting a doctor. We assessed access to care by geographic location (ie, US state) and selected sociodemographic characteristics.

Overall, 159,947 eligible participants reported having hypertension. Among them, 19.1% had no health insurance, 18.1% had no personal doctor, and 23.6% could not visit a doctor because of cost. Among those with hypertension by state, age-standardized prevalence of no health insurance ranged from 6.3% in Hawaii to 28.1% in Texas. The prevalence of those without a personal doctor ranged from 9.2% in Massachusetts to 32.7% in Nevada, and the prevalence of cost barrier to visiting a doctor ranged from 10.8% in North Dakota to 35.1% in Tennessee. By sociodemographic characteristics, the prevalence with no health insurance was highest among those aged 18-44 years (25.9%), Hispanics (28.1%), those with less than a high school education (32.8%), and those with a household income of less than $25,000 (31.6%). Similar disparity patterns were noted for estimates of the other access-to-care variables.

Among US hypertensive adults, approximately 20% reported access-to-care challenges, with significant geographic and sociodemographic variations.