Number of working-age adults with chronic conditions climbs

The number of working-age adults with chronic health conditions grew 25% between 1997 and 2006 to 58 million, according to a study published online on July 22 by Health Affairs. More than one-third of uninsured adults with a chronic condition did not have a usual source of care in 2006, up from 29% a decade earlier; 26% had not seen a health professional all year, up from 21% in 1997.

Both insured and uninsured adults with chronic conditions were more likely to report unmet medical needs due to cost in 2006 than in 1997. The study, by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, examined access to care for working-age adults with heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, asthma, emphysema or cancer based on responses to the National Health Interview Survey.