NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 393 ■ December 2020

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Urgent Care Center and Retail Health Clinic Utilization

Among Children: United States, 2019

Lindsey I. Black, M.P.H., and Benjamin Zablotsky, Ph.D.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Health Interview Survey

● In 2019, more than one in 

four children had one or more 

visits to an urgent care center or 

retail health clinic (26.4%) in 

the past 12 months.

● Non-Hispanic white children 

(29.2%) were more likely than 

either non-Hispanic black 

(24.9%) or Hispanic (22.6%) 

children to have had one or 

more urgent care center or retail 

health clinic visits. 

● Children with private 

(27.6%) or public (25.2%) 

health insurance were more 

likely than uninsured children 

(19.3%) to have had one or 

more urgent care center or retail 

health clinic visits.

● Urgent care center and 

retail health clinic utilization 

increased with increasing 

parental education and 

family income.

In recent years, urgent care centers and health clinics within grocery or retail 

stores have been delivering health care services to an increasing number 

of children and adults (1–3). Urgent care centers and retail health clinics 

may be able to deliver preventive care, such as routine vaccinations, and 

nonemergency acute or after-hours care (3–5). This report describes the 

utilization of urgent care centers or retail health clinics in 2019 among children 

aged 0–17 years in the past 12 months by selected characteristics. 

What percentage of children had one or more urgent care 

center or retail health clinic visits in the past 12 months?

In 2019, approximately one in four children had one or more urgent care or 

retail health clinic visits in the past 12 months (26.4%) (Figure 1). Nearly 14% 

of children had one urgent care or retail health clinic visit (13.7%), while 8.2% 

had two visits and 4.5% had three or more visits. 

NCHS reports can be downloaded from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/index.htm.

NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data 

table for Figure 1 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db393-tables-508.pdf#1. 

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2019.

Any visit

Percent

Figure 1. Percentage of children aged 0–17 years who had one or more urgent care center or 

retail health clinic visits, and number of visits, in past 12 months: United States, 2019

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

26.4

One visit

13.7

Two visits

8.2

Three or more visits

4.5
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Did urgent care center or retail health clinic utilization differ by sex, age, or 

race and Hispanic origin?

A similar percentage of girls (26.5%) and boys (26.2%) had one or more urgent care or retail 

health clinic visits in the past 12 months (Figure 2). Children aged 12–17 years were less likely 

to have had one or more urgent care or retail health clinic visits (24.9%) compared with children 

aged 6–11 years (27.9%), but were not significantly different from children aged 0–5 years 

(26.4%). Non-Hispanic black (24.9%) and Hispanic (22.6%) children were less likely to have 

had one or more urgent care or retail health clinic visits compared with non-Hispanic white 

children (29.2%).

Figure 2. Percentage of children aged 0–17 years who had one or more urgent care center or retail health clinic visits in 

past 12 months, by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2019

1

Significantly different from children aged 6–11 years (p < 0.05). 2

Significantly different from non-Hispanic white children (p < 0.05).

NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 2 at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db393-tables-508.pdf#2. 

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2019.

0 10 20 30 40

Percent

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic black

Non-Hispanic white

12–17

Race and Hispanic origin

Age group (years)

Sex

6–11

0–5

Boys

Girls 26.5

26.2

26.4

27.9

1

24.9

29.2

2

24.9

2

22.6
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Did urgent care center or retail health clinic utilization differ by current 

health insurance?

Children who were uninsured (19.3%) were less likely to have had one or more urgent care or 

retail health clinic visits in the past 12 months than children with private insurance (27.6%) or 

public insurance (25.2%) coverage (Figure 3). 

Figure 3. Percentage of children aged 0–17 years who had one or more urgent care center or retail health clinic visits in 

past 12 months, by current health insurance coverage: United States, 2019

1

Significantly different from uninsured children (p < 0.05).

NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 3 at: 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db393-tables-508.pdf#3. 

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2019. 

0 10

Percent

20 30

Private

Public

Uninsured

1

27.6

1

25.2

19.3
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 393 ■ December 2020

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Did urgent care center or retail health clinic utilization differ by parental 

education or poverty status?

Children with parents who had more than a high school education (28.1%) were more likely than 

children with parents who had a high school diploma or GED or less (22.1%) to have had one or 

more urgent care or retail health clinic visits in the past 12 months (Figure 4). Children living in 

families with incomes equal to or greater than 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) (28.1%) 

were more likely to have had one or more urgent care or retail health clinic visits than children 

living in families below 200% of FPL (23.8%). 

Figure 4. Percentage of children aged 0–17 years who had one or more urgent care center or retail health clinic visits in 

past 12 months, by parental education and poverty status: United States, 2019

1

Significantly different from children with parents who have more than a high school education (p < 0.05). 2

Significantly different from children in families with FPL greater than or equal to 200% (p < 0.05).

NOTES: GED is general equivalency diploma. FPL is federal poverty level, which is based on the ratio of the family's income in the previous calendar year to 

the appropriate poverty threshold defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian 

noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 4 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db393-tables-508.pdf#4. 

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2019.

Greater than or

equal to 200% FPL

Less than 200% FPL

More than high school

Parent's education

Poverty status

High school diploma

or GED or less

Percent

0 10 20 30

1

22.1

28.1

2

23.8

28.1
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 393 ■ December 2020

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Summary

In 2019, just over one in four U.S. children had one or more visits to an urgent care center or 

retail health clinic (26.4%) in the past 12 months. Utilization varied by age group and race and 

Hispanic origin. Children who had private or public health insurance coverage were more likely 

to have had one or more visits to urgent care or retail health clinics compared with children who 

were uninsured. Urgent care center and retail health clinic utilization increased with increasing 

parental education and family income, a pattern consistent with previous studies (6). The level of 

convenience in accessing health care may be a factor for parents when choosing to seek care for 

their children at urgent care centers and retail health clinics (6,7). 

Definitions

Health insurance coverage: Based on the status of health insurance coverage at time of interview. 

Private health insurance includes children with comprehensive private insurance plans obtained 

through a parent’s or caregiver’s employer, purchased directly, purchased through local or 

community programs, or purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace or a state-based 

exchange. Public health insurance includes children with Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance 

Program, or other state-sponsored health plan. Uninsured children include those who were not 

reported to have been covered at time of interview and those who were covered only by Indian 

Health Service or a single-service plan (e.g., dental care only). Children with more than one type 

of health insurance were assigned to the first appropriate category in the following mutually 

exclusive hierarchy: private coverage, public coverage, other coverage (data not shown), or 

uninsured.

Parental education attainment: Based on the education level of the parent with the highest level of 

education, regardless of that parent’s age, living at the child’s residence.

Poverty status: Based on the ratio of a family’s income in the previous calendar year to the 

appropriate poverty threshold (given the family’s size and number of children) defined by the 

U.S. Census Bureau. The 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) imputed income files 

were used to allow for imputed values when family income was not provided. 

Race and Hispanic origin: Children categorized as Hispanic may be of any race or combination of 

races. Children categorized as non-Hispanic white or non-Hispanic black indicated one race only. 

Estimates for non-Hispanic children of races other than white only or black only, or of multiple 

races, are not shown.

Urgent care: Based on responses to the survey question, “During the past 12 months, how many 

times has (Sample Child) gone to an urgent care center or a clinic in a drug store or grocery store 

about his or her health?” 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 393 ■ December 2020

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Data source and methods

Data from the 2019 NHIS were used for this analysis. NHIS is a nationally representative 

household survey of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. It is conducted 

continuously throughout the year by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Interviews 

are conducted in respondents’ homes, but follow-ups to complete interviews may be conducted 

over the telephone. Questions about the child’s health are answered by a knowledgeable adult, 

usually a parent. For more information about NHIS, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm. 

Point estimates and corresponding confidence intervals for this analysis were calculated using 

SUDAAN software (8) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. Differences between 

percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Linear and 

quadratic trends by age group were evaluated using Proc Descript, poly option. All estimates 

meet NCHS standards of reliability as specified in “National Center for Health Statistics Data 

Presentation Standards for Proportions” (9). 

About the authors

Lindsey I. Black and Benjamin Zablotsky are with the NCHS Division of Health Interview 

Statistics.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 393 ■ December 2020

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References

1. Poon SJ, Schuur JD, Mehrotra A. Trends in visits to acute care venues for treatment of lowacuity conditions in the United States from 2008 to 2015. JAMA Intern Med 178(10):1342–9. 

2018.

2. Mehrotra A, Wang MC, Lave JR, Adams JL, McGlynn EA. A comparison of patient visits 

to retail clinics, primary care physicians, and emergency departments. Health Aff (Millwood) 

27(5):1272–82. 2008.

3. AMN Healthcare. Convenient care: Growth and staffing trends in urgent care and retail 

medicine [white paper]. 2015. Available from: https://www.amnhealthcare.com/uploadedFiles/

MainSite/Content/Healthcare_Industry_Insights/Industry_Research/AMN%2015%20W001_

Convenient%20Care%20Whitepaper(1).pdf.

4. Sankrithi U, Schor J. Pediatric urgent care—new and evolving paradigms of acute care. 

Pediatr Clin North Am 65(6):1257–68. 2018.

5. Montalbano A, Rodean J, Kangas J, Lee B, Hall M. Urgent care and emergency department 

visits in the pediatric Medicaid population. Pediatrics 137(4):e20153100. 2016.

6. Garbutt JM, Mandrell KM, Allen M, Sterkel R, Epstein J, Kreusser K, et al. Parents’ 

experiences with pediatric care at retail clinics. JAMA Pediatr 167(9):845–50. 2013.

7. Mudd SS, Alvarado SM, Otaru S, Canares T. Urgent care utilization in a pediatric population 

with private health insurance. J Pediatr Health Care 34(3):e21–7. 2020.

8. RTI International. SUDAAN (Release 11.0.3) [computer software]. 2018.

9. Parker JD, Talih M, Malec DJ, Beresovsky V, Carroll M, Gonzalez JF Jr, et al. National 

Center for Health Statistics data presentation standards for proportions. National Center for 

Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 2(175). 2017.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 393 ■ December 2020

Keywords: health care utilization • acute care • National Health Interview 

Survey (NHIS)

Suggested citation

Black LI, Zablotsky B. Urgent care center 

and retail health clinic utilization among 

children: United States, 2019. NCHS Data 

Brief, no 393. Hyattsville, MD: National 

Center for Health Statistics. 2020.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Brian C. Moyer, Ph.D., Director

Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Acting Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Health Interview Statistics

Stephen J. Blumberg, Ph.D., Director

Anjel Vahratian, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate 

Director for Science

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