WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- One in five Americans -- some 60 million people -- have no family doctor, clinic or regular source of medical care, U.S. health officials say.
A report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, says in 2007 two-thirds of those who reported not having a usual source of care said the main reason was because they seldom or never got sick, while 14 percent say their main reason was the high cost of care.
The report also says:
-- 22 percent of Hispanics say cost is the main reason for not having regular care, compared with 12 percent for other racial and ethnic groups.
-- 59 percent of the uninsured report not having a usual source of care because they never got sick, compared with 67 percent of people with private insurance and 53 percent of people with public insurance.
-- 69 percent of blacks were most likely to report that they didn't have a usual source of care because they seldom or never got sick, Hispanics at 62 percent, whites at 61 percent and 58 percent of Asians.
-- 12 percent of Asians say not liking or trusting doctors was their main reason for not getting regular care, compared with 4 percent of other racial and ethnic groups.
