QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 18–64 Years Who Made Two or More Visits to an Emergency Department in the Preceding 12 Months,* by Black or White Race and Hispanic Subpopulation† — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2009–2011§

Weekly
August 31, 2012 / 61(34);686

The figure shows the percentage of adults aged 18-64 years who made two or more visits to an emergency department in the preceding 12 months, by black or white race and Hispanic subpopulation, in the United States during 2009-2011. During 2009-2011, Hispanic adults aged 18-64 years were less likely (6.6%) than non-Hispanic blacks (13.2%) and about as likely as non-Hispanic whites (7.1%) to have made two or more visits to an emergency department in the preceding 12 months. Among Hispanic subpopulations, Puerto Rican adults had the highest percentage (13.2%) of two or more emergency department visits in the past year, followed by other Hispanic adults (8.2%), Cuban adults (6.4%), Mexican adults (5.6%), and Central or South American adults (5.6%).

* Based on a survey question that asked respondents, "During the past 12 months, how many times have you gone to a hospital emergency room about your own health? (This includes emergency room visits that resulted in a hospital admission.)" Unknowns were not included in the denominators when calculating percentages.

† Persons of Hispanic ethnicity might be of any race or combination of races. Non-Hispanic persons are those who are not of Hispanic ethnicity, regardless of race.

§ Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population.

¶ 95% confidence interval.

During 2009–2011, Hispanic adults aged 18–64 years were less likely (6.6%) than non-Hispanic blacks (13.2%) and about as likely as non-Hispanic whites (7.1%) to have made two or more visits to an emergency department in the preceding 12 months. Among Hispanic subpopulations, Puerto Rican adults had the highest percentage (13.2%) of two or more emergency department visits in the preceding 12 months, followed by other Hispanic adults (8.2%), Cuban adults (6.4%), Mexican adults (5.6%), and Central or South American adults (5.6%).

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2009–2011 Sample Adult Core component. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

Reported by: Robin A. Cohen, PhD, rzc6@cdc.gov, 301-458-4152; Gulnur Freeman MPA; Patricia F. Adams.

Alternate Text: The figure above shows the percentage of adults aged 18-64 years who made two or more visits to an emergency department in the preceding 12 months, by black or white race and Hispanic subpopulation, in the United States during 2009-2011. During 2009-2011, Hispanic adults aged 18-64 years were less likely (6.6%) than non-Hispanic blacks (13.2%) and about as likely as non-Hispanic whites (7.1%) to have made two or more visits to an emergency department in the preceding 12 months. Among Hispanic subpopulations, Puerto Rican adults had the highest percentage (13.2%) of two or more emergency department visits in the past year, followed by other Hispanic adults (8.2%), Cuban adults (6.4%), Mexican adults (5.6%), and Central or South American adults (5.6%).