Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Trends in Health Status and Health Care Use

Among Older Men

by Mabel Crescioni, M.P.H., University of Arizona College of Public Health; Yelena Gorina, M.P.H., M.S.; Linda

Bilheimer, Ph.D.; and Richard F. Gillum, M.D., Office of Analysis and Epidemiology

Abstract

Objectives—This report examines

trends in health status and risk factors,

health care utilization, and health care

expenditures among older men in the

United States.

Methods—The estimates in this

report are based on data from the

National Vital Statistics System,

National Health Interview Survey,

National Health and Nutrition

Examination Survey, National Health

Care Surveys, Medicare Current

Beneficiary Survey, and Current

Population Survey. Trends in death

rates, prevalence of chronic conditions,

risk factors, vaccinations, health care

utilization, and expenditures are

summarized. Major differences in these

indicators are described for older men

and women and by age, race, and

Hispanic origin.

Results—The difference in life

expectancy between older men and

women has narrowed since 1980, but a

gap remains. Older men have lower

hypertension and cholesterol levels and

exercise regularly at higher rates than

older women; however, the rates of

obesity and cigarette smoking are

similar in older men and women.

Although health status has improved for

all racial and ethnic groups, racial and

ethnic disparities remain for many indicators. Older men and women have similar

rates of hospital admissions and visits to emergency departments and physician

offices.

Keywords: older men’s health c aging c health behaviors c risk factors

Introduction

Although life expectancy in the United States has steadily increased for men

and women since 1900, life expectancy for men at any age remains lower than that

Figure 1. Estimated and projected percentages of persons aged 65 and over, by sex:

United States, 1950–2050 Percent 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau. 

Women 

Men 

Estimated Projected

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

National Center for Health Statistics 
Page 2 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

for women. In 2006, men at age 65

were expected to live 2.7 years fewer

than women, and at age 85 men were

expected to live 1.1 years fewer than

women (1).

Awareness of the differences in

health indicators among older men and

women may help address the health care

needs of both and explain differences in

life expectancy (2). Identifying major

health disparities among older men and

examining health indicators among men

approaching older age (near-elderly)

also is important to understanding

possible challenges in the health care

needs of older men in the near future.

This report presents trends in older

men’s health status, functional status,

mortality, health care utilization, and

health care expenditures. It complements

a previous report on the health status

and health care use of older women (3).

Methods

The estimates in this report are

based on data from the National Vital

Statistics System, National Health

Interview Survey, National Health and

Nutrition Examination Survey, National

Health Care Surveys, Medicare Current

Beneficiary Survey, and Current

Population Survey. These data sources

are briefly described in the ‘‘Technical

Notes’’ section. Many of the estimates

from these data systems were obtained

from the NCHS Health Data Interactive

website (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

hdi.htm). Multiple years of data were

combined for some indicators to

increase the reliability of estimates. In

this report, the terms ‘‘older’’ and

‘‘elderly’’ refer to persons aged 65 and

over, and the term ‘‘oldest old’’ refers to

persons aged 85 and over. Where

available, standard errors (SEs) for the

estimates are reported. Trends and

differences between estimates were

tested for statistical significance using

two-tailed z- and t-tests with a level of

significance of 0.05. Terms such as

‘‘higher than’’ and ‘‘lower than’’ indicate

a statistically significant difference.

Additional details regarding definitions

and methods can be found in the

references cited throughout the report.

Results

Sociodemographic

characteristics

More than 10% of men were aged 65

and over in 2007.

The percentage of men aged 65 and

over has risen from 8% in 1950 to 11%

in 2007 (Figure 1, Table 1). At the same

time, the percentage of the older

population that is male has declined,

because the female population in this

age group has grown even faster.

Among the oldest old, women

outnumber men by a ratio of more than

2 to 1. The elderly population is

projected to grow rapidly until 2030, by

which time one in five people will be

aged 65 and over; in 2007, it was 13%.

More than 80% of older men were

non-Hispanic white in 2007 (4). That

share is projected to decline to 72% by

2030 and to 59% by 2050 (5).

Older men are much less likely to live

alone than older women, and much

more likely to live with a spouse.

In 2006, 20% of noninstitutionalized

older men lived alone and 71% lived with

a spouse. By contrast, more than one-third

of older women lived alone and less than

one-half lived with a spouse. Those

differences become even more striking at

the oldest ages. More than one-half of

men aged 85 and over residing in the

community were still living with a spouse,

compared with just 15% of women in that

age group (Table 2).

The proportion of older men living

with a spouse varies widely among

racial and ethnic groups (Table 2). Older

white (73%) and Hispanic (68%) men

are much more likely to live with a

spouse than older black men (51%) (6).

Education and income levels of older

men have increased among all racial

and ethnic groups, but wide

disparities remain.

In 2007, three in four older men

had graduated from high school

compared with just one in four in 1970.

About one-half of older black men and

less than one-half of older Hispanic men

had attained at least a high school

education compared with more than

three-fourths of older white men (7).

Real median income among older men

has increased steadily over the past

three decades. But in 2007, older black

(17%) and Hispanic (13%) men were

about three times as likely to be poor as

older white men (5%) (8).

Health status

Life expectancy at birth and at age 65

among males has increased steadily in

recent decades, and the disparity

between males and females has

narrowed since 1980.

In 2006, life expectancy at birth for

males was 5.1 years fewer than for

females, compared with an almost

8-year difference at the end of the 1970s

(1). At age 65, males could expect to

live 2.7 years fewer than females in

2006 (Figure 2, Table 3).

White males have a higher life

expectancy (75.7 years) than black

males (69.7 years) at birth and at age 65

(17.1 compared with 15.1 years,

respectively). At age 85, however, black

males have a slightly greater life

expectancy (5.9 years) than white males

(5.7 years) (1).

Death rates among older men have

declined since 1970 due in large part

to declines in mortality from heart

disease and stroke.

Heart disease and cancer are the

leading causes of death for older men in

all racial and ethnic groups (Figure 3),

accounting for 55% of all deaths among

older men in 2006 (1). Although older

men are more likely to die from heart

disease than older women, the gap in

heart disease death rates between older

men and women has narrowed from

53% greater mortality among older men

in 1975 to 39% in 2006 (Figure 4,

Table 4).

Racial differences in heart disease

mortality among men vary with age.

Among adult men aged 18–64, the heart

disease death rate for non-Hispanic

black men (141.7 per 100,000) is about

50% higher than the rate for

non-Hispanic white men (95.6 per
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010	 Page 3

100,000). This difference decreases with

age and ultimately reverses; by age 85,

non-Hispanic white men (5,032.8 per

100,000) are about 25% more likely to

die from heart disease than nonHispanic black men (4,129.6 per

100,000) (9).

Older men are much more likely than

older women to die from injuries.

Unintentional falls are the leading

cause of injury death among older

people (10). Death rates from

unintentional falls have been rising

among both older men and women since

the mid-1990s. In 2006, older men (age

adjusted 52.0 per 100,000) were 1.5

times as likely to die from an

unintentional fall as older women (35.9

per 100,000). Death rates from

unintentional falls also vary by race,

with rates being twice as high among

older white men (age adjusted 54.5 per

100,000) compared with older black

men (27.8 per 100,000) (11).

Although suicide rates among older

men are declining, older white men (age

adjusted 31.4 per 100,000) were three

times as likely as older black men (10.8

per 100,000) and more than twice as

likely as older Hispanic men (12.9 per

100,000) to die from suicide in 2006.

Moreover, suicide rates among older

men increase with age (9).

Racial and ethnic disparities in

homicide rates among older men have

narrowed considerably since the

1990s—when homicide rates among

older black men were seven times the

rates among older white men—reflecting

the rapid decline in homicide rates

among older black men over the decade.

That decline has leveled off in recent

years, and homicide rates in 2006

remain higher for older black men (age

adjusted 9.6 per 100,000) than older

white men (2.2 per 100,000) (9).

Diabetes prevalence is increasing

among older men and women, with

men having slightly higher prevalence

rates than women.

More than one-quarter of older men

had diabetes (diagnosed or undiagnosed)

in 2003–2006, an increase of

5 percentage points since 1988–1994

(Figure 5). Diabetes was undiagnosed in

almost one-third of cases in 2003–2006

(12).

In 1988–1994, diabetes rates among

non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic

white older men were essentially the

same—about 20%. Since that time,

however, diabetes prevalence rates have

risen almost three times faster among

non-Hispanic black older men, resulting

in a considerable difference in rates by

race in 2003–2006. In those years, about

one-third of non-Hispanic black older

Years 

Women aged 65 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

Men aged 65 

Women aged 85 

Men aged 85 

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2006 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System and Health Data Interactive. 

Figure 2. Life expectancy at ages 65 and 85, by sex: United States, 1950–2006

 

 

 

 

American Indian Asian or Pacific 

White Black or Alaska Native Islander Hispanic 

1.	 Heart Heart Heart Heart Heart 

disease disease disease disease disease 

2.	 Cancer Cancer Cancer Cancer Cancer 

3.	 Chronic Stroke Diabetes Stroke Stroke
 

lower
 

respiratory
 

disease
 

4.	 Stroke Diabetes Chronic Chronic Diabetes 

lower lower 

respiratory respiratory 

disease disease 

5.	 Diabetes Chronic Stroke Influenza Chronic 

lower and lower 

respiratory pneumonia respiratory 

disease disease 

NOTE: Race groups include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System and Health Data Interactive. 

Figure 3. Leading causes of death for men aged 65 and over, by race and Hispanic origin:

United States, 2006
Page 4 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

men had diabetes compared with about

one-quarter of non-Hispanic white older

men (Table 5) (12).

Older men are more likely than older

women to have been diagnosed with

heart disease.

Prevalence of heart disease among

older men has not changed since the

mid-1990s (13), and was 39% for

2006–2008 compared with 27% among

older women (14). Prevalence of heart

disease increases with age among older

men, from about one-third of men aged

65–74 to more than one-half of men

aged 85 and over (Table 6). In 2006–

2008, the proportion of older men who

reported a previous heart attack was

17.4% (age adjusted, SE 0.7)—twice the

rate for older women (8.1%, age

adjusted, SE 0.7) (14).

Two-fifths of older non-Hispanic

white men reported being diagnosed

with heart disease in 2006–2008, a

considerably higher rate than for

non-Hispanic black and Hispanic older

men (Figure 6).

Men Women

Deaths per 100,000 population 

0 

1,000 

2,000 

3,000 

4,000 

0 

1,000 

2,000 

3,000 

4,000 

Heart disease 

Cancer 

Stroke 

Heart disease 

Cancer 

Stroke 

CLRD1 CLRD1 

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 

1

Chronic lower respiratory disease.
 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System and Health Data Interactive.
 

Figure 4. Death rates for leading causes of death among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex: United States, 1968–2006 Percent 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Health Data Interactive. 

Undiagnosed 

diabetes 

Diagnosed 

diabetes 

1988– 

1994 

1999– 

2002 

2003– 

2006 

1988– 

1994 

1999– 

2002 

2003– 

2006 

Men Women

13 

16 

18 

13 

16 

19 

8 

8 

8 

4 

4 

5 

0 

10 

20 

30 

Figure 5. Diabetes rates among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex:

United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2006
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010 Page 5

Older men are more likely than older

women to have ever had cancer, to be

newly diagnosed with cancer, and to

die from cancer.

In 2006–2008, almost one in four

older men (24.5%, age adjusted, SE 0.7)

reported that they had ever been

diagnosed with cancer (regardless of

how long ago the diagnosis was, or if

the cancer was still under treatment or is

considered cured), a rate that is about

4 percentage points higher than for older

women (14). Cancer incidence rates (the

number of new cases in each year per

100,000, age adjusted) were 2,787 per

100,000 among older men and 1,668 per

100,000 among older women in

2002–2006 (15). In 2006, the death rates

for cancer were almost 60% higher for

older men than for older women

(Table 4). However, the 5-year relative

survival rates for men (64%) diagnosed

in 1999–2005 at age 65 and over were

10 percentage points higher than for

women (54%) (15).

In 2006–2008, more than onequarter of non-Hispanic white older men

(26.8%, SE 0.8) reported ever being

diagnosed with cancer, a considerably

higher rate than for non-Hispanic black

(15.8.%, SE 1.9) and Hispanic older

men (12.4%, SE 2.2) (14). Among adult

men of all ages, cancer death rates are

higher for non-Hispanic black men than

for non-Hispanic white men. In the

45–64 age group, the death rate for

non-Hispanic black men (326 per

100,000) was 45% higher than for

non-Hispanic white men (225 per

100,000); the difference declined to

about 12% at age 85 and over (2,577

compared with 2,300 per 100,000,

respectively) (9).

Although almost two-thirds of older

men have hypertension, rates are even

higher among older women.

Hypertension rates among older

men and women rose between 1988–

1994 and 2003–2006, reaching 65%

among men and 75% among women

(16). Older non-Hispanic black men

(80%) were much more likely to have

hypertension than older non-Hispanic

white men (64%) in 2003–2006

(Table 7).

Respondent-perceived health status

among noninstitutionalized older men

and women has improved over the

past two decades.

In 2008, three-fourths of

noninstitutionalized older men reported

themselves to be in good, very good, or

excellent health—an increase of

10 percentage points since 1982

(Figure 7, Table 8) (17). Much of the

change has occurred among men aged

65–74, among whom the share reporting

fair or poor health fell from 34.8% in

1982 to 22.5% in 2008 (Table 9). The

percentages in fair and poor health did

not differ between older men and

women in 2008 (Table 8).

Percent 

40.9 

29.7 28.2 27.0 

39.1 

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

Male Female Non-Hispanic 

black male 

Non-Hispanic 

white male 

Hispanic male 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey and Health Data Interactive. 

Figure 6. Prevalence of diagnosed heart disease among persons aged 65 and over

(age adjusted), by sex and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2006–2008

40 Excellent or very good

Good 

30 

Fair or poor 

20 

10 

0 

1982 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey. Percent 

Figure 7. Respondent-perceived health status among noninstitutionalized men aged

65 and over (age adjusted): United States, 1982–2008
Page 6 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Respondent-perceived health status

among older men improved for both

non-Hispanic white men and

non-Hispanic black men, but did not

change significantly for Hispanic men

(17). Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic

older men were considerably more

likely than non-Hispanic white older

men to report being in fair or poor

health in 2006–2008 (Table 10).

In 2008, 5% of noninstitutionalized

older men reported needing assistance

with activities of daily living—a lower

percentage than among older women.

The percentage of both older men

and women in need of assistance with

activities of daily living is greatest at

the oldest ages (18). Among the

noninstitutionalized population aged 85

and over, 22% of women reported

needing assistance in 2008 compared

with 15% of men (Figure 8, Table 11).

Health risk factors and

behaviors

Drinking among men declines

dramatically with age.

In 2008, only 10% of older men

reported having five or more drinks in a

day on at least 1 day in the past year,

compared with 43% of men aged 18–24.

The rate among older men, however,

was still four times the rate among older

women (Table 12).

About 10% of older men and 9% of

older women were current smokers in

2008, but older men were much more

likely than older women to be former

smokers.

Smoking rates among older men

have declined steadily, from 27% in

1965 to 10% in 2008 (13). Among older

women, by contrast, smoking rates

increased from the mid-1960s to the

mid-1980s, reaching 13% in 1983, and

subsequently declined to 9% in 2008

(Figure 9).

In 2008, more than 60% of older

men had smoked at some time in their

lives—and, thus, faced the risks

associated with ever smoking—

compared with less than 40% of older

women (Table 13).

Older Hispanic men were more

likely than older non-Hispanic white and

black men never to have smoked. Older

non-Hispanic black men were more

likely to be current smokers than

non-Hispanic white or Hispanic men

(Table 13).

Percent 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey. 

2.6 

5.5 

14.9 

4.0 

7.6 

21.7 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

65–74 years 75–84 years 85 years and over 

Men Women 

Figure 8. Noninstitutionalized persons needing help with activities of daily living, by age

and sex: United States, 2008 Percent 

NOTE: Data are based on estimates for 1965, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, and 

2008. Estimates for 1987, 1990, 1992, and 1997 are 2-year averages; estimates for 2000, 2003, and 2006 are 3-year averages. 

The lines shown are based on fitting the estimates to a second order polynomial regression model. 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey. 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 

Women 

Men 

Figure 9. Current smoking rates among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex:

United States, 1965–2008
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010 Page 7

Obesity rates among older men are

catching up to those of older women,

reaching 29% in 2003–2006.

Almost three-fourths of older men

were overweight or obese by 2003–2006

compared with 67% of older women

(Table 14). In 2003–2006, obesity rates

among older men and women were

similar (Figure 10). In contrast to older

women, among whom non-Hispanic

black women are more likely to be

obese, obesity rates among older men

did not vary significantly by race or

ethnicity (19). In 2003–2006, a higher

percentage of men aged 45–64 were

overweight or obese than men aged 65

and over (Table 14).

The prevalence of high serum

cholesterol among older men has

fallen considerably since 1988–1994

and remains lower than among older

women.

High serum cholesterol rates among

older men fell from more than 20% in

1988–1994 to about 10% in 2003–2006,

a reduction of 50% (Figure 11).

Although rates have also declined

among older women, 22% of older

women had high serum cholesterol in

2003–2006. In that period, slightly more

than one-third of older men had high or

borderline high serum cholesterol

compared with more than one-half of

older women. High and borderline high

cholesterol rates did not differ for

non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic

white older men (20).

Only about one-fourth of older men

and one-fifth of older women engage

in regular leisure-time physical

activity.

Just one-half of older men engaged

in at least some leisure-time physical

activity in 2006–2008, even on an

irregular basis. Physical activity rates

decline with age, with 39% of men aged

85 and over engaging in any physical

activity compared with 55% of men

aged 65–74 in 2006–2008 (21).

Regular physical activity rates

among older men vary widely by race

and ethnicity, ranging from 17% of

non-Hispanic black men to 33% of

Asian men (21).

Percent 1

Estimates are not significantly different (p>0.5). 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Health Data Interactive. 

Men Women 

18.9 

25.3 

28.7 

23.2 

31.8 30.6 

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

1988–1994 1999–2002 2003–20061 

Figure 10. Obesity among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex:

United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2006 Percent 

NOTE: High serum cholesterol is defined as greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL. Borderline high serum cholesterol is 

defined as greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL and less than 240 mg/dL. 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Health Data Interactive. 

21 

12 10 

40 

30 

22 

35 

34 

26 

35 

40 

34 

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80 

1988– 

1994 

1999– 

2002 

2003– 

2006 

1988– 

1994 

1999– 

2002 

2003– 

2006 

High 

Borderline 

high 

Men Women

Figure 11. High and borderline high serum cholesterol rates among person aged 65 and

over (age adjusted), by sex: United States, 1988–1994 and 1999–2006
Page 8 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

In 2007–2008, more than one-third of

older men and women had not

received an influenza vaccination in

the past year; higher percentages had

never received a pneumococcal

vaccination.

Influenza vaccination rates have

risen considerably among men aged 85

and over—from 56% in 1993–1994 to

84% in 2007–2008. Lifetime

pneumococcal vaccination rates have

risen more rapidly among men aged 75

and over than those aged 65–74,

reaching 65% in 2007–2008. In those

years, less than 60% of men aged 65–74

had received an influenza vaccination in

the previous year, and less than 50%

had ever received a pneumococcal

vaccination (Table 15).

Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic

older men were much less likely than

non-Hispanic white older men to have

received an influenza vaccination in the

previous year or to have ever received a

pneumococcal vaccination (13).

Health care use and costs

Physician office visit rates averaged

about eight visits a year for both

older men and women in 2005–2006.

As with older women, the

specialists most frequently seen by older

men are internists, general and family

physicians, and ophthalmologists (22).

But older men have lower visit rates to

these specialties than older women.

Older men use cardiologists, urologists,

and dermatologists at higher rates than

older women (Table 16).

Personal per capita health

expenditures for all physician services

used by older men, including diagnostic

laboratory and radiology services and

medical supplies, rose about 50%

between 1992 and 2005 (in 2005

dollars), reaching $3,628 in that

year—about the same as inpatient

hospital expenditures per capita

(Table 17) (23).

Hospital discharge rates for older men

and women were similar in 2006,

reflecting a decrease for older men

and an increase for older women since

the late 1980s.

Hospital discharge rates for older

men fell 24% from their peak in 1983,

reaching 358 per 1,000 in 2006, a rate

not significantly different than that for

older women. Among older men, heart

disease was the first-listed diagnosis for

more than one-fifth of discharges, and

almost one-half had heart disease listed

among the diagnoses (Figure 12)

(24,25).

Despite similar discharge rates,

however, older men underwent 20%

more inpatient procedures per capita

than older women in 2006 (26). Overall

inpatient procedure rates for older male

and female patients fell almost 12%

between 1991 and 2006, when the rate

was 436 per 1,000 persons. But the rates

for some procedures increased for older

men and women. Procedures for which

rates are increasing among older men as

well as older women include

angioplasty, hip and knee replacements,

spinal fusion, and hemodialysis (25,26).

Inpatient hospital expenditures per

capita (in 2005 dollars) for older men

changed little between 1992 and 2005,

and were about $3,700 in 2005—or

about $550 more than for older women

(Table 17) (23).

Racial disparities in the use of

hospital emergency departments by

older men have grown significantly in

recent years.

Older men have the same

emergency department (ED) visit rates

as older women, about 48 per 100

persons (age adjusted) in 2005–2007.

ED visit rates among older men increase

with age, with the oldest old (aged 85

and over) experiencing the highest rate

(82 per 100 persons) (27,28).

ED use rates for older white men

did not increase significantly between

1992–1993—when they were slightly

lower than those of older black men—

and 2005–2007. By contrast, use rates

for older black men rose by 56% over

that period, resulting in 2005–2007 use

rates that were almost twice those of

older white men (Table 18).

Since 1992–1993, ED visit rates

among near-elderly men, aged 45–64,

Discharges per 1,000 population 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Hospital Discharge Survey. 

0 

100 

200 

300 

400 

500 

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 

All discharges, men 

All discharges, women 

Heart disease, men 

Heart disease, women 

Figure 12. Hospital discharges among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by

first-listed diagnosis and sex: United States, 1970–2006
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010	 Page 9

increased 28%; ED visit rates among

women of the same age also increased.

A combination of increases in both visit

rates and population size has strained

the capacity of EDs (29).

Conclusion

There have been many favorable

trends in the health status of older men.

Death rates have continued to decrease;

the percentage of older men who report

being in good to excellent health has

increased since the 1980s; the

percentage with a high serum

cholesterol level has decreased

substantially; and the percentage of

current smokers decreased, reaching

about the same level as among older

women. However, obesity rates for older

men increased; one-half of older men do

not exercise at all and only one-quarter

exercise regularly; and the level of

hypertension among older men reached

65%. Although life expectancy for older

men remains lower than for older

women, the disparity has decreased

since 1980. Most health indicators

continue to improve for older men of all

racial and ethnic groups, but disparities

remain.

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Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/

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Men’s Health: Sociocultural and

Ecological Perspectives. Med Clin

North Am 83(5) 1151–72, 1999.

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women. Aging Trends, no 7.

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for

Health Statistics. 2007. Available

from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/

ahcd/agingtrends/07olderwomen.pdf.

4.	 U.S. Census Bureau. National

population estimates by sex, age,

race, and Hispanic origin, 2007.

Available from: http://

www.census.gov/popest/national/asrh/

NC-EST2007-asrh.html.

5.	 U.S. Census Bureau. National

population projections: United States,

2010 to 2050. Available from:

http://www.census.gov/population/

www/projections/

summarytables.html.

6.	 U.S. Census Bureau. Families and

living arrangements. Available from:

http://www.census.gov/population/

www/socdemo/hh-fam.html.

7.	 U.S. Census Bureau. Educational

attainment in the United States:

2007. Available from: http://

www.census.gov/population/www/

socdemo/educ-attn.html.

8.	 U.S. Census Bureau. Current

Population Survey 2007 Annual

Social and Economic Supplement.

Available from: http://

www.census.gov/hhes/www/macro/

032008/pov/toc.htm.

9.	 National Center for Health Statistics.

Mortality by underlying and multiple

cause, ages 18+: US, 1981–2006.

Health Data Interactive. Available

from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

10. Bergen G, Chen LH, Warner M,

Fingerhut LA. Injury in the United

States: 2007 Chartbook. Hyattsville,

MD: National Center for Health

Statistics. 2008. Available from:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/

injury2007.pdf.

11. CDC. WISQARS Fatal Injuries:

Mortality Reports, 1981–2006.

National Center for Injury Prevention

and Control. Available from:

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/

fatal.html.

12. National Center for Health Statistics.

Diabetes, ages 20+, US, 1988–2006

(Source: NHANES). Health Data

Interactive. Available from:

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

13. National Center for Health Statistics.

Unpublished data from the National

Health Interview Survey. Available

from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

nhis.htm.

14. National Center for Health Statistics.

Chronic conditions, ages 18+: US,

1997–2008 (Source: NHIS). Health

Data Interactive. Available from:

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

15. Horner MJ, Ries LAG, Krapcho M,

et al, editors. SEER Cancer Statistics

Review, 1975–2006. Bethesda, MD:

National Cancer Institute. Available

from: http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/

1975_2006/. Based on November

2008 SEER data submission posted

to the SEER website, 2009.

16. National Center for Health Statistics.

Hypertension, ages 20+: US,

1988–2006 (Source: NHANES).

Health Data Interactive. Available

from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

17. National Center for Health Statistics.

Health status, respondent reported:

US, 1982–2008 (Source: NHIS).

Health Data Interactive. Available

from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

18. National Center for Health Statistics.

Needing help with activities of daily

living, ages 18+: US, 1997–2008

(Source: NHIS). Health Data

Interactive. Available from:

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

19. National Center for Health Statistics.

Overweight/obesity, ages 20+: US,

1988–2006 (Source: NHANES).

Health Data Interactive. Available

from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

20. National Center for Health Statistics.

Cholesterol level, ages 20+: US,

1988–2006 (Source: NHANES).

Health Data Interactive. Available

from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

21. National Center for Health Statistics.

Physical activity, ages 18+: US,

1997–2008 (Source: NHIS). Health

Data Interactive. Available from:

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

22. National Center for Health Statistics.

Unpublished data from the National

Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/

nchs/ahcd.htm.

23. National Center for Health Statistics.

Personal health care expenditures of

Medicare beneficiaries by chronic

conditions and type of service, ages

65+: US, 1992–2005 (Source:

MCBS). Health Data Interactive.

Available from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/

hdi.htm.

24. National Center for Health Statistics.

Hospital discharges by first- and

any-listed diagnosis: US, 1990–2006

(Source: NHDS). Health Data

Interactive. Available from:

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

25. National Center for Health Statistics.

Unpublished data from the National

Hospital Discharge Survey. Available

from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

nhds.htm.

26. National Center for Health Statistics.

Hospital procedures, all-listed: US,

1990–2006 (Source: NHDS). Health

Data Interactive. Available from:

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

27. National Center for Health Statistics.

Unpublished data from the National
Page 10 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care

Survey. Available from: http://

www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd.htm.

28. National Center for Health Statistics.

Emergency department visits: US,

1995–2006 (Source: NHAMCS).

Health Data Interactive. Available

from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

29. McCaig LF, Xu J, Niska RW.

Estimates of Emergency Department

Capacity: United States, 2007. NCHS

health e-stat. Hyattsville, MD:

National Center for Health Statistics.

Available from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/

data/hestat/ed_capacity/

ED_capacity.htm.
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010 Page 11

Table 1. Number and percentage of resident population aged 65 and over and 85 and over, by sex: United States, 1950–2050

Aged 65 and over Aged 85 and over

All Men Women All Men Women

Year

Number (in

thousands) Percent

Number (in

thousands) Percent

Number (in

thousands) Percent

Number (in

thousands) Percent

Number (in

thousands) Percent

Number (in

thousands) Percent

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2007

2010

2015

2020

2025

2030

2035

2040

2045

2050

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

................

12,194

14,490

16,560

18,451

20,066

22,696

25,549

28,416

31,079

33,769

34,992

36,790

37,888

40,229

46,837

54,804

63,908

72,092

77,543

81,238

84,456

88,547

8.1

8.8

9.2

9.5

9.9

10.5

11.3

11.9

12.5

12.7

12.4

12.4

12.6

13.0

14.4

16.1

17.9

19.3

19.9

20.0

20.0

20.2

5,767

6,718

7,503

8,014

8,416

9,265

10,305

11,392

12,493

13,735

14,410

15,413

15,977

17,292

20,542

24,323

28,560

32,294

34,749

36,396

37,905

39,917

7.7

8.3

8.5

8.5

8.5

8.8

9.4

9.8

10.3

10.5

10.4

10.6

10.7

11.3

12.8

14.5

16.2

17.6

18.1

18.2

18.3

18.5

6,427

7,772

9,057

10,437

11,650

13,431

15,245

17,024

18,586

20,034

20,582

21,378

21,911

22,937

26,295

30,481

35,348

39,798

42,794

44,842

46,551

48,630

8.5 577

9.3 767

10.0 929

10.6 1,082

11.2 1,511

12.1 1,821

13.1 2,240

13.9 2,667

14.6 3,021

14.7 3,681

14.4 4,240

14.2 5,096

14.3 5,512

Projected estimates

14.6 5,752

15.9 6,293

17.6 6,597

19.5 7,239

21.0 8,745

21.6 11,450

21.7 14,198

21.7 16,985

21.8 19,041

0.4

0.5

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

1.0

1.1

1.2

1.4

1.5

1.7

1.8

1.9

1.9

1.9

2.0

2.3

2.9

3.5

4.0

4.3

237

318

362

398

542

594

682

761

841

1,024

1,227

1,604

1,777

1,893

2,163

2,344

2,652

3,284

4,387

5,481

6,609

7,458

0.3

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.6

0.7

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.1

1.2

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.8

2.3

2.7

3.2

3.5

340

449

567

684

969

1,227

1,559

1,906

2,180

2,657

3,013

3,492

3,735

3,859

4,130

4,253

4,587

5,461

7,063

8,717

10,376

11,583

0.4 

0.5 

0.6 

0.7 

0.9 

1.1 

1.3 

1.6 

1.7 

2.0 

2.1 

2.3 

2.4 

2.5 

2.5 

2.5 

2.5 

2.9 

3.6 

4.2 

4.8 

5.2 

SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates and 2008 National Population Projections.

Table 2. Living

United States,

arrangements

2006

among noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted) and 85 and over, by race and sex:

Characteristic

Living

alone

Living with

spouse

Aged 65 and over (age adjusted)

All men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

White ........................

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hispanic .......................

All women .......................

White ........................

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hispanic .......................

Aged 85 and over

All men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

White ........................

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hispanic .......................

All women .......................

White ........................

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hispanic .......................

19.9

19.7

26.5

16.7

37.8

38.2

40.8

25.6

28.8

28.5

34.9

17.3

56.0

57.6

47.0

32.5

(0.5)

(0.6)

(2.6)

(2.4)

(0.5)

(0.6)

(2.2)

(2.4)

(2.0)

(2.1)

(9.0)

(8.5)

(1.6)

(1.7)

(6.6)

(8.3)

Percent (standard error)

71.3 (0.6)

72.9 (0.6)

51.3 (2.9)

68.2 (3.0)

42.6 (0.5)

44.7 (0.6)

23.1 (1.9)

38.1 (2.5)

57.8 (2.2)

59.9 (2.3)

37.7 (9.2)

53.3 (11.2)

15.1 (1.1)

16.0 (1.2)

*6.4 (3.2)

*16.7 (6.6)

* Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

NOTE: White and black races include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin.

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplement.
Page 12 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Table 3. Life expectancy at birth and at ages 65 and 85, by sex: United States, 1950–2006

Life expectancy 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2006

At birth

Male ............................ 65.6 66.6 67.1 70.0 71.8 74.1 75.1 

Female. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71.1 73.1 74.7 77.4 78.8 79.3 80.2 

At age 65

Male ............................ 12.8 12.8 13.1 14.1 15.1 16.0 17.0 

Female. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.0 15.8 17.0 18.3 18.9 19.0 19.7 

At age 85

Male ............................ 4.4 4.4 4.7 5.1 5.3 5.6 5.7 

Female. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.9 4.7 5.6 6.4 6.7 6.7 6.8 

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System and Health Data Interactive.

Table 4. Death rates per 100,000 population for leading causes of death among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex:

United States, 1970–2006

All causes Heart disease Cancer Stroke

Year Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women

1970 ............................ 8,284.9 5,621.2 3,744.0 2,572.1 1,300.7 742.5 1,073.2 972.0

1975 ............................ 7,777.1 4,980.3 3,406.3 2,224.1 1,390.3 743.1 926.7 812.3

1980 ............................ 7,523.3 4,813.6 3,312.0 2,198.6 1,486.9 785.6 707.7 640.8

1985 ............................ 7,314.2 4,713.0 3,055.2 2,041.2 1,530.9 827.1 550.4 513.7

1990 ............................ 6,782.6 4,488.1 2,594.7 1,773.7 1,589.9 875.4 466.0 432.4

1995 ............................ 6,522.3 4,489.6 2,361.0 1,646.3 1,567.4 903.0 451.2 424.9

2000 ............................ 6,178.2 4,518.1 2,056.0 1,473.0 1,480.8 901.0 432.0 417.2

2005 ............................ 5,444.8 4,142.6 1,641.9 1,190.0 1,339.7 843.7 317.2 318.1

2006 ............................ 5,262.3 3,999.2 1,555.1 1,114.6 1,309.5 836.0 293.4 295.3

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System and Health Data Interactive; U.S. Census Bureau.

Table 5. Diabetes prevalence (diagnosed and undiagnosed) among men aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by race and Hispanic origin:

United States, 1988–1994 and 2003–2006

Characteristic 1988–1994 2003–2006

Non-Hispanic white ...................

Non-Hispanic black ...................

19.6 (1.4)

19.7 (2.9)

Percent (standard error)

24.4 (2.7)

33.2 (3.6)

NOTE: Percentages include diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. Diagnosed diabetes is defined as responding ‘‘yes’’ to the question ‘‘{Other than during pregnancy,} Have you ever been told by

a doctor or health professional that you have diabetes or sugar diabetes?’’ Undiagnosed diabetes is defined as not having diagnosed diabetes and having a fasting blood glucose of at least 126

mg/dL.

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Health Data Interactive.
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010 Page 13

Table 6. Diagnosed heart disease prevalence among noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 and over, by sex and race and Hispanic

origin: United States, 2006–2008

65 and over

Sex (age adjusted) 65–74 75–84 85 and over

Men Percent (standard error)

Total 39.1 (0.8) 32.2 (1.0) 44.7 (1.4) 52.7 (2.7)

Non-Hispanic white .................. 40.9 (0.8) 33.9 (1.2) 47.1 (1.5) 53.0 (2.8)

Non-Hispanic black .................. 28.2 (2.2) 24.2 (2.4) 28.2 (3.7) 44.9 (10.3)

Hispanic ........................ 29.7 (2.5) 23.8 (2.6) 29.4 (3.9) 55.7 (12.6)

Women

Total ............................ 27.0 (0.6) 22.7 (0.8) 30.2 (1.0) 35.8 (1.7)

Non-Hispanic white .................. 27.4 (0.7) 23.3 (1.0) 30.3 (1.1) 36.7 (1.8)

Non-Hispanic black .................. 27.6 (1.7) 23.2 (2.1) 31.8 (3.0) 34.6 (5.2)

Hispanic ........................ 20.6 (1.6) 16.8 (1.8) 26.8 (3.3) 18.4 (5.4)

NOTE: Persons with diagnosed heart disease answered ‘‘yes’’ to one or more of the following questions: ‘‘Have you EVER been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had:

Coronary heart disease, angina, also called angina pectoris, a heart attack (also called myocardial infarction), or any kind of heart condition or heart disease (other than the ones just asked

about)?’’

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey and Health Data Interactive.

Table 7. Hypertension prevalence among noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex and race and Hispanic

origin: United States, 1988–1994 and 2003–2006

Sex and race and Hispanic origin 1988–1994 2003–2006

Men Percent (standard error)

Total

Non-Hispanic white ..................

Non-Hispanic black ..................

57.3 (1.9)

56.0 (2.3)

70.5 (3.5)

64.6 (1.8)

64.1 (2.2)

79.9 (2.9)

Women

Total ............................

Non-Hispanic white ..................

Non-Hispanic black ..................

64.5 (1.3)

63.7 (1.5)

74.7 (1.9)

75.3 (1.7)

74.0 (1.9)

86.9 (2.9)

NOTE: Persons who were identified as having hypertension had a systolic blood pressure that was greater than or equal to 140 mmHg, a diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90

mmHg, or were taking antihypertensive medication at the time of interview.

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Health Data Interactive.

Table 8. Respondent-assessed health status among noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex: United States,

1982–2008

Excellent or very good Good Fair or poor

Men Percent (standard error)

1982 ............................ 34.8 (0.8) 29.7 (0.7) 35.5 (0.8)

1985 ............................ 35.4 (0.9) 31.5 (0.8) 33.1 (0.9)

1990 ............................ 39.7 (0.7) 32.0 (0.7) 28.3 (0.7)

1995 ............................ 37.0 (0.7) 33.3 (0.7) 29.7 (0.7)

2000 ............................ 38.0 (0.7) 34.7 (0.7) 27.3 (0.7)

2005 ............................ 39.4 (0.7) 34.6 (0.8) 26.1 (0.7)

2008 ............................ 39.5 (1.0) 35.4 (0.9) 24.9 (0.8)

Women

1982 ............................ 34.1 (0.7) 31.1 (0.6) 34.8 (0.8)

1985 ............................ 35.9 (0.9) 33.1 (0.9) 31.0 (0.7)

1990 ............................ 39.3 (0.6) 32.4 (0.6) 28.3 (0.5)

1995 ............................ 37.8 (0.6) 33.9 (0.6) 28.3 (0.6)

2000 ............................ 37.0 (0.7) 36.0 (0.6) 27.0 (0.6)

2005 ............................ 37.3 (0.7) 35.4 (0.7) 27.3 (0.5)

2008 ............................ 38.9 (0.9) 36.0 (0.7) 24.9 (0.7)

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey.
Page 14 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Table 9. Respondent-assessed fair or poor health status among noninstitutionalized men aged 65 and over, by age: United States,

1982–2008

Year 65–74 75–84 85 and over

Percent (standard error)

1982 ............................ 34.8 (1.0) 37.5 (1.3) 32.8 (2.8)

1985 ............................ 30.6 (1.0) 35.7 (1.4) 35.9 (3.1)

1990 ............................ 25.0 (0.8) 31.4 (1.2) 33.3 (2.4)

1995 ............................ 26.3 (0.9) 31.7 (1.2) 38.5 (2.7)

2000 ............................ 22.4 (0.8) 32.6 (1.3) 33.0 (2.8)

2005 ............................ 22.3 (0.9) 27.3 (1.2) 38.5 (2.4)

2008 ............................ 22.5 (0.9) 25.0 (1.4) 35.4 (2.9)

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey.

Table 10. Percentage of persons with respondent-assessed fair or poor health status among noninstitutionalized men aged 65 and over,

by age and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2006–2008

Age All Non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic black Hispanic

Percent (standard error)

65 and over (age adjusted) .............. 25.7 (0.5) 23.9 (0.5) 35.7 (1.5) 36.4 (1.8)

65–74 years........................ 22.4 (0.6) 20.3 (0.6) 32.3 (1.8) 32.8 (2.1)

75–84 years........................ 27.5 (0.8) 25.8 (0.9) 38.5 (2.7) 37.9 (2.9)

85 and over ........................ 35.1 (1.8) 33.7 (1.9) 42.1 (6.4) 46.9 (7.7)

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey and Health Data Interactive.

Table 11. Percentage needing help with activities of daily living among noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 and over, by age and sex:

United States, 2008

Age Men Women

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

65–74 years........................

75–84 years........................

85 and over ........................

5.2 (0.4)

2.6 (0.4)

5.5 (0.7)

14.9 (2.2)

Percent (standard error)

7.4 (0.4)

4.0 (0.5)

7.6 (0.7)

21.7 (1.9)

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey and Health Data Interactive.

Table 12. Percentage of persons who reported five or more drinks in a day on at least 1 day in the past year, by sex and age:

United States, 2008

Age 18–24 25–44 45–54 55–64 65 and over

Percent (standard error)

Men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.3 (2.3) 41.6 (1.1) 31.9 (1.4) 19.7 (1.2) 9.7 (0.8)

Women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.5 (1.9) 20.2 (0.8) 12.3 (0.9) 5.4 (0.6) 2.2 (0.4)

NOTE: Persons answered ‘‘one day or more’’ to the following question: ‘‘In the past year, on how many days did you have five or more drinks of any alcoholic beverage?’’

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey.
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010 Page 15

Table 13. Smoking status of noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted) by sex and race and Hispanic origin:

United States, 2008

Current smoker Former smoker Never smoker

Men Percent (standard error)

Total ............................ 9.8 (0.5) 54.3 (0.8) 36.0 (0.8)

Non-Hispanic white .................. 9.5 (0.5) 56.0 (0.9) 34.6 (0.9)

Non-Hispanic black .................. 14.4 (1.5) 45.8 (2.3) 39.8 (2.3)

Hispanic ........................ 9.2 (1.6) 41.4 (2.8) 49.4 (3.1)

Women

Total ............................ 8.5 (0.4) 28.9 (0.6) 62.6 (0.7)

Non-Hispanic white .................. 8.8 (0.4) 30.7 (0.7) 60.5 (0.8)

Non-Hispanic black .................. 8.2 (0.8) 24.0 (1.3) 67.8 (1.5)

Hispanic ........................ 4.5 (0.8) 15.1 (1.5) 80.4 (1.6)

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey.

Table 14. Body mass index among noninstitutionalized persons aged 45 and over, by age and sex: United States, 2003–2006

65 and over 65 and over

45–64 (crude) (age adjusted)

Men Percent (standard error)

Overweight or obese (BMI of 25.0 or greater)........ 78.9 (1.4) 73.0 (1.2) 72.2 (1.2)

Overweight (BMI between 25.0 and 30.0) ......... 42.6 (1.7) 43.7 (2.0) 43.5 (2.0)

Obese (BMI of 30.0 or greater) ............... 36.2 (2.2) 29.3 (1.6) 28.7 (1.5)

Severely obese (BMI of 40.0 or greater) ........ 3.9 (0.6) 1.9 (0.5) 1.9 (0.5)

Healthy weight (BMI between 18.5 and 25.0) ........ 20.3 (1.4) 26.1 (1.2) 26.9 (1.2)

Women

Overweight or obese (BMI of 25.0 or greater)........ 68.2 (1.5) 66.8 (1.9) 66.7 (1.9)

Overweight (BMI between 25.0 and 30.0) ......... 27.8 (1.4) 36.0 (1.9) 36.1 (1.9)

Obese (BMI of 30.0 or greater) ............... 40.4 (1.5) 30.8 (1.6) 30.6 (1.8)

Severely obese (BMI of 40.0 or greater) ........ 9.4 (0.9) 4.4 (0.7) 4.4 (0.7)

Healthy weight (BMI between 18.5 and 25.0) ........ 30.5 (1.5) 31.7 (1.8) 31.8 (1.8)

NOTE: Body mass index (BMI) is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Health Data Interactive.

Table 15. Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations, by sex and age: United States, 1993–1994 and 2007–2008

Influenza vaccination Pneumococcal

during the past year vaccination (ever)

1993–1994 2007–2008 1993–1994 2007–2008

Men Percent (standard error)

65 and over (crude) ................... 55.1 (1.0) 64.9 (0.9) 31.1 (1.0) 53.6 (1.0)

65 and over (age adjusted) .............. 56.1 (1.0) 66.0 (0.9) 32.0 (1.0) 54.6 (1.0)

65–74 .......................... 52.5 (1.3) 56.8 (1.2) 28.7 (1.3) 45.7 (1.2)

75–84 .......................... 60.9 (1.9) 73.4 (1.5) 35.7 (1.9) 63.4 (1.7)

85 and over ...................... 56.1 (3.8) 83.6 (2.5) 34.8 (4.2) 67.1 (3.5)

Women

65 and over (crude) ................... 52.8 (0.9) 65.7 (0.8) 27.6 (0.8) 58.9 (0.9)

65 and over (age adjusted) .............. 53.0 (0.9) 65.6 (0.8) 27.8 (0.8) 58.7 (0.9)

65–74 .......................... 51.9 (1.1) 62.2 (1.1) 26.5 (0.9) 54.0 (1.2)

75–84 .......................... 54.6 (1.3) 68.9 (1.2) 29.8 (1.2) 64.9 (1.3)

85 and over ...................... 52.5 (2.7) 70.4 (2.0) 26.5 (2.5) 60.4 (2.2)

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey.
Page 16 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Table 16. Annual physician visit rates per 100 population among persons aged 65 and over (age adjusted), by sex and physician

specialty: United States, 2005–2006

Men Women

All specialties ....................... 758.2 815.1

Internal medicine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135.3 151.3

General or family practice ............... 116.6 137.9

Ophthalmology ...................... 83.5 99.1

Cardiovascular disease................. 51.0 39.0

Urology .......................... 48.8 10.3

Dermatology ....................... 30.0 22.5

Orthopedic surgery ................... 29.7 42.5

General surgery ..................... 12.5 16.5

Otolaryngology ...................... 12.6 12.3

Oncology ......................... 10.3 11.2

Neurology ......................... 10.3 10.0

Psychiatry ......................... 5.2 10.0

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Table 17. Average personal health care expenditures (in 2005 dollars) of male Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and over (age adjusted),

by type of service: United States, 1992–2005

1992 1995 2000 2005

Mean (standard error)

Total ............................ $9,883 (289) $10,773 (364) $11,979 (365) $13,542 (401)

Inpatient hospital..................... 3,658 (173) 3,547 (203) 3,999 (219) 3,687 (189)

Physician or supplier .................. 2,441 (77) 2,723 (80) 3,306 (82) 3,628 (107)

Long-term care facility ................. 1,907 (160) 2,146 (206) 2,031 (168) 2,038 (156)

Prescription medicine .................. 625 (15) 690 (20) 1,133 (27) 1,821 (39)

Outpatient hospital.................... 802 (43) 1,046 (52) 1,046 (51) 1,489 (148)

Medicare home health service ............ 336 (35) 445 (45) 266 (27) 365 (36)

Dental ........................... 240 (13) 263 (19) 339 (20) 324 (20)

Medicare hospice service ............... 47 (12) * 77 (22) 190 (35)

* Does not meet standards of reliability or precision. 

SOURCES: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, and CDC/NCHS, Health Data Interactive. 
National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010 Page 17

Table 18. Emergency department visits among persons aged 45 and over, by age, sex, and race: United States, 1992–1993 and

2005–2007

Characteristics 1992–1993 2005–2007

Men, all races Rate per 100 population (standard error)

65 and over (crude) ...................

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

45–64 ...........................

38.9 (1.6)

42.6 (1.4)

24.6 (0.9)

46.4 (1.5)

47.6 (1.1)

31.4 (1.0)

Men, white

65 and over (crude) ...................

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

45–64 ...........................

38.4 (1.8)

42.1 (1.6)

22.9 (0.9)

44.2 (1.6)

45.3 (1.2)

27.5 (1.0)

Men, black

65 and over (crude) ...................

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

45–64 ...........................

48.3 (4.1)

51.5 (3.5)

43.8 (3.0)

76.9 (5.5)

80.3 (4.6)

72.5 (4.0)

Women, all races

65 and over (crude) ...................

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

45–64 ...........................

39.7 (1.5)

39.8 (1.1)

26.5 (1.1)

49.5 (1.6)

48.4 (1.1)

33.3 (1.1)

Women, white

65 and over (crude) ...................

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

45–64 ...........................

39.2 (1.6)

39.2 (1.2)

24.7 (1.1)

46.8 (1.7)

45.4 (1.1)

29.2 (1.1)

Women, black

65 and over (crude) ...................

65 and over (age adjusted) ..............

45–64 ...........................

49.0 (4.3)

49.6 (3.4)

44.7 (4.1)

82.8 (5.6)

83.3 (4.2)

69.4 (4.2)

Men, all races Number of visits in thousands (standard error)

65 and over (crude) ...................

45–64 ...........................

5,095 (213)

5,799 (216)

7,067 (276)

11,338 (346)

Men, white

65 and over (crude) ...................

45–64 ...........................

4,523 (211)

4,694 (195)

5,917 (257)

8,346 (296)

Men, black

65 and over (crude) ...................

45–64 ...........................

486 (41)

973 (66)

896 (85)

2,648 (145)

Women, all races

65 and over (crude) ...................

45–64 ...........................

7,596 (290)

6,681 (273)

10,118 (379)

12,708 (415)

Women, white

65 and over (crude) ...................

45–64 ...........................

6,725 (280)

5,321 (230)

8,260 (346)

9,163 (349)

Women, black

65 and over (crude) ...................

45–64 ...........................

779 (68)

1,219 (111)

1,534 (131)

3,113 (187)

SOURCES: CDC/NCHS, National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
Page 18 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Technical Notes

The data sources used in this report

are briefly described:

Current Population Survey (CPS)

Description: Provides monthly

estimates of total employment,

unemployment, and other

demographic characteristics of the

civilian noninstitutionalized

population.

Source and contact information:

U.S. Census Bureau, http:// 

www.census.gov/cps/. 

Health Data Interactive (HDI)

Description: Presents tables with

national health statistics for infants,

children, adolescents, adults, and

older adults. Tables can be

customized by age, gender, race or

ethnicity, and geographic location to

explore different trends and

patterns.

Source and contact information:

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, National Center for

Health Statistics, http://

www.cdc.gov/nchs/hdi.htm.

Medicare Current Beneficiary

Survey (MCBS)

Description: Produces nationally

representative estimates of health

status, health care use and

expenditures, health insurance

coverage, and socioeconomic and

demographic characteristics of

Medicare beneficiaries (both

institutionalized and

noninstitutionalized).

Source and contact information:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

Services, www.cms.hhs.gov/MCBS.

National Ambulatory Medical

Care Survey (NAMCS)

Description: Collects data on the

utilization and provision of medical

care services at visits to officebased physicians. Data are collected

demographic characteristics of

patients, expected sources of

payment, patients’ reasons for visit,

physicians’ diagnoses, diagnostic

and screening services, therapeutic

and preventive services including

medication therapy, providers seen,

visit duration and disposition, other

visit characteristics, and provider

characteristics such as physician

specialty.

Source and contact information:

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, National Center for

Health Statistics, http://

www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd.htm.

National Hospital Ambulatory

Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)

Description: Collects data on the

utilization and provision of medical

care services at visits to hospitalbased outpatient and emergency

departments. Data are collected on

demographic characteristics of

patients, expected sources of

payment, patients’ reasons for visit,

causes of injury for emergency

department visits where applicable,

physicians’ diagnoses, diagnostic

and screening services, therapeutic

and preventive services including

medication therapy, providers seen,

visit disposition, other visit

characteristics, and hospital

characteristics such as type of

ownership.

Source and contact information:

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, National Center for

Health Statistics, http://

www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd.htm.

National Health and Nutrition

Examination Survey (NHANES)

Description: Designed to assess the

health and nutritional status of the

U.S. noninstitutionalized civilian

population through direct physical

examinations, laboratory tests, and

interviews.

Source and contact information:

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, National Center for

Health Statistics, www.cdc.gov/

nchs/nhanes.htm.

National Hospital Discharge

Survey (NHDS)

Description: Collects and produces

national estimates on characteristics

of inpatient stays in nonfederal

short-stay hospitals in the

United States.

Source and contact information:

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, National Center for

Health Statistics, http://

www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhds.htm.

National Health Interview Survey

(NHIS)

Description: Monitors the health of

the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S.

population through the collection

and analysis of data on a broad

range of topics and is used to

monitor trends in illness and

disability and to track progress

toward achieving national health

objectives.

Source and contact information:

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, National Center for

Health Statistics, www.cdc.gov/

nchs/nhis.htm.

National Vital Statistics System

(NVSS)

Description: Includes data on births, 

deaths, and, prior to 1996, 

marriages and divorces occurring in 

the United States, based on U.S. 

Standard certificates. 

Source and contact information: 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, National Center for 

Health Statistics, http:// 

www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm. 
Page 20 National Health Statistics Reports n Number 24 n April 21, 2010

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to

Susan Schappert for her help with the

estimates from the National Ambulatory

Medical Care Survey and the National

Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey, to

Anne Driscoll and Virginia Freid for their help

with alcohol consumption estimates, to

Nazik Elgaddal for help with programming,

and to Diane Makuc for reviewing the

various drafts of this report.

Suggested citation

Crescioni M, Gorina Y, Bilheimer L, Gillum RF.

Trends in health status and health care use

among older men. National health statistics

reports; no 24. Hyattsville, MD: National

Center for Health Statistics. 2010.

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

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D., Director 

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate Director 

for Science 

Office of Analysis and Epidemiology

Linda T. Bilheimer, Ph.D., Director

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

3311 Toledo Road

Hyattsville, MD 20782

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PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300

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calling 1–800–232–4636

E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

Internet: www.cdc.gov/nchs

DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 2010–1250

CS209982

T36359 (04/2010)