Health and selected socioeconomic characteristics of the family: United States, 1988-90.

National estimates of average annual health indexes for the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States are presented in this report according to selected socioeconomic characteristics of the family. These estimates are based on data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Health indexes presented include percent limited in activity; percent with fair or poor respondent-assessed health status, restricted activity days, bed disability days, work-loss days, and school-loss days; percent with a physician contact in past year; numbers of annual physician contacts per person per year; percent with a hospital episode in the past year; days per short-term hospital stay; and incidence of acute conditions. This report includes the findings that persons living by themselves reported a higher percent of limitations in activity, high rates of disability days, more physician contacts per year, and a higher incidence rate from acute conditions than all persons 45-64 years of age. Persons in all four age groups reported higher percents with limitations of activity and higher percents with fair or poor health status in families in which the educational level of the responsible family adult member was less the 12 years than in families where the responsible adult was better educated. Both males and females, and white persons and black persons, in each of the age groups 18 years and over who were living with a spouse reported lower percents of limitations in activity than did persons living in other family relationships.