QuickStats: Percentage* of Adults Aged 20–64 Years with a Blood Cholesterol Check by a Health Professional† During the Past 12 Months, by Poverty Status§ — National Health Interview Survey, 2012 and 2017¶

Weekly / December 7, 2018 / 67(48);1351

The figure is a bar graph showing that the percentage of adults aged 20–64 years who had a blood cholesterol check by a health professional in the past 12 months increased from 58.0% in 2012 to 65.5% in 2017. From 2012 to 2017, there was an increase in the percentage of adults with a blood cholesterol check among poor (46.3% to 56.0%), near poor (47.9% to 59.0%), and not poor (63.2% to 68.5%) adults. In both years, not poor adults were more likely than poor and near poor adults to have had a blood cholesterol check.

* With 95% confidence intervals shown with error bars.

† Based on a positive response to the question “During the past 12 months, have you had your blood cholesterol checked by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional?”

§ Poverty status is based on family income and family size using the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. “Poor” persons are defined as those with incomes below the poverty threshold; “near poor” persons have incomes of 100% to <200% of the poverty threshold; and “not poor” persons have incomes of 200% of the poverty threshold or greater.

¶ 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.

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The percentage of adults aged 20–64 years who had a blood cholesterol check by a health professional in the past 12 months increased from 58.0% in 2012 to 65.5% in 2017. From 2012 to 2017, there was an increase in the percentage of adults with a blood cholesterol check among poor (46.3% to 56.0%), near poor (47.9% to 59.0%), and not poor (63.2% to 68.5%) adults. In both years, not poor adults were more likely than poor and near poor adults to have had a blood cholesterol check.

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2012 and 2017 data. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

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Reported by: Michael E. Martinez, MPH, MHSA, bmd7@cdc.gov, 301-458-4758; Tainya C. Clarke PhD.

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Suggested citation for this article: QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 20–64 Years with a Blood Cholesterol Check by a Health Professional During the Past 12 Months, by Poverty Status — National Health Interview Survey, 2012 and 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1351. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6748a6 .