Higher Prevalence of Health-Risk Factors Among US Adults With Unmet Health Care Needs Due to Cost, 2016

Context: Adults with unmet health care needs (UHCN) due to cost have fewer opportunities to receive behavioral counseling in clinical settings, which may be associated with a higher likelihood of having health-risk behaviors. Objective: This study assessed associations between UHCN and health-risk factors. Design/Setting: We used 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to calculate age-adjusted weighted prevalence of 5 health-risk factors by UHCN and insurance status and to assess the association of UHCN with these factors using multivariable logistic regression. Participants: US adults aged 18 to 64 years who participated in the survey (N = 301 035). Main Outcome Measures: Five health-risk factors: obesity, current cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol use, sleeping less than 7 hours per 24-hour period, and no leisure-time physical activity within the past month. Results: In 2016, among adults aged 18 to 64 years, 11.2% of those with insurance and 40.1% of those without insurance (both age-adjusted) had UHCN. In both study populations, compared with adults with no UHCN, adults reporting UHCN were more likely to be a current cigarette smoker, report excessive alcohol use, and sleep less than 7 hours per 24-hour period. The prevalence of 3 or more health-risk factors was higher among adults with UHCN than among adults without UHCN (adults with insurance: adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.40; 95% confidence interval = 1.33-1.48; adults without insurance: adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.39; 95% confidence interval = 1.27-1.53). Conclusions: Unmet health care needs was associated with more health-risk factors regardless of insurance status. Addressing cost barriers to behavioral counseling may be one approach to consider when seeking to reduce health-risk behaviors among high-risk populations.