Chapter 5. Health and Wellness

Indicator 42. Health Status

In 2008, about 76 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 reported being in excellent or very good health, 20 percent reported being in good health, and 4 percent reported being in fair or poor health. Greater percentages of American Indian/Alaska Native (87 percent), White (81 percent), and Asian (80 percent) young adults reported being in excellent or very good health in 2008 than did Black (69 percent) and Hispanic (66 percent) young adults. Greater levels of educational attainment were associated with better reports of health status: 90 percent of young adults with a bachelor's or higher degree reported being in excellent or very good health, compared with 82 percent each of those with some college education or an associate's degree, 72 percent of those who had completed high school, and 65 percent of those who had not completed high school. In addition, young adults who were "nonpoor" reported having excellent or very good health at a higher rate (83 percent) than young adults who were "near-poor" or "poor" (69 percent for both).¹⁴

A lower percentage of males reported being in excellent or very good health in 2008 than in 1999 (77 vs. 80 percent). In addition, the percentage of Hispanic young adults reporting excellent or very good health was lower in 2008 than in 1999 (66 vs. 72 percent). However, a higher percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native young adults reported being in excellent or very good health in 2008 than in 1999 (87 vs. 61 percent).

View Table 42
View Figure 42