Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality

STATISTICAL BRIEF #179 

July 2007 

Highlights 

 In 2005, about one-fifth of 

U.S. adults (age 18 and 

older) reported taking 

aspirin either every day or 

every other day. 

 Aspirin use increased with 

age. Almost half of those 

age 65 and over reported 

taking aspirin daily or every 

other day. 

 Non-Hispanic whites were

most likely to report taking 

aspirin every day or every 

other day as compared 

with Hispanic, nonHispanic Asian, or nonHispanic black adults. 

 More than half of those 

who were told by a doctor 

that they have indicators of

heart disease reported 

taking aspirin every day or 

every other day. 

Aspirin Use among the Adult U.S. 

Noninstitutionalized Population, with 

and without Indicators of Heart Disease, 

2005 

Anita Soni, PhD 

Introduction 

Aspirin is one of the most common drugs in use today. The U.S. 

Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has found good evidence 

that aspirin decreases the incidence of coronary heart disease in 

adults who are at increased risk for heart disease and strongly 

recommends that clinicians discuss aspirin chemoprevention with 

these at-risk adults. According to USPSTF, discussions with patients 

should address both the potential benefits and risks of aspirin 

therapy. 

This Statistical Brief provides estimates of aspirin use among the 

U.S. population age 18 and older. The brief further looks at the use 

of aspirin among those with or without indicators of heart disease. 

The estimates presented are derived from data collected in the 

questionnaire used in the Household Component of the Medical 

Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS-HC). All differences discussed in

the text are statistically significant at the 0.05 level or better. 

Findings 

Aspirin is a medicine that relieves pain and reduces fever. When

used daily, aspirin has been shown to be helpful in lowering the risk of heart attack, clot-related strokes,

and other blood flow problems. 

In 2005, almost one-fifth (19.3 percent) of U.S. adults (about 43 million) reported taking aspirin every day 

or every other day (figure 1). More than half (53.9 percent) of those who were ever told by a doctor that 

they have indicators of heart disease reported taking aspirin every day or every other day as compared 

with those who were never told by a doctor that they had indicators of heart disease (14.8 percent). 

Age 

Aspirin use increased up with age. Almost half (48.5 percent) of those age 65 and over reported taking

aspirin every day or every other day as compared with about one-fourth (27.0 percent) of those age 45 to 

64 (figure 1). Among those who were 65 and older and were told that they had indicators of heart 

disease, nearly two-thirds (63.7 percent) reported taking aspirin every day or every other day compared 

with 41.4 percent of those in the same age group who were never told that they had indicators of heart 

disease. 
Sex 

A higher percentage of males who were told that they had indicators of heart disease reported taking 

aspirin every day or every other day as compared with females who were told that they had indicators of 

heart disease (61.3 percent versus 47.4 percent, respectively) (figure 2). 

Race/ethnicity 

White non-Hispanic adults were more likely to take aspirin every day or every other day (22.3 percent) as 

compared with black non-Hispanic (15.1 percent), Asian non-Hispanic (11.5 percent), and Hispanic (10.1 

percent) adults (figure 3). More than half of Asian non-Hispanic adults (54.0 percent) who were told by a 

doctor that they had indicators of heart disease reported taking aspirin every day or every other day as 

compared with the less than 10 percent (9.1 percent) of Asian non-Hispanic adults who were never told 

that they had indicators of heart disease. 

Metropolitan areas 

A higher percentage of persons who lived in non-metropolitan areas reported taking aspirin every day or 

every other day as compared with those who lived in metropolitan areas (23.1 percent versus18.6 

percent, respectively) (figure 4). 

Insurance status 

More than half of those who were 65 and over and covered by Medicare and private insurance reported 

taking aspirin on a regular basis compared with those who had Medicare only or Medicare plus some 

public insurance (52.0 percent versus 44.7 percent and 41.3 percent, respectively) (figure 5 ). Among 

those adults age 18 to 64 and uninsured, a lower percentage reported taking aspirin every day or every 

other day as compared with those who had private or public only insurance (10.3 percent versus 14.2 

percent and 14.6 percent, respectively). 

Data Source 

The estimates in this Statistical Brief were derived from the MEPS 2005 Full Year Population 

Characteristics data file (HC-090). 

Definitions 

Questions related to taking aspirin every day or every other day were asked in the priority conditions 

section of the MEPS-HC questionnaire. 

Heart disease indicators 

The indicators for heart disease were drawn from variables indicating presence of heart disease 

(coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack, stroke, or any other heart related disease). For each of the 

conditions listed, the following question was asked: “(Have/Has) PERSON ever been told by a doctor or 

other health professional that PERSON had [condition].” 

Racial and ethnic classifications 

Classification by race and ethnicity was based on information reported for each family member. 

Respondents were asked if each family member was Hispanic or Latino. Respondents were also asked 

which race or races best describes each family member. Race categories include white, black/African 

American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and other. 

Based on these questions, sample persons were classified into the following race/ethnicity categories: 

Hispanic, white non-Hispanic single race, black non-Hispanic single race, Asian non-Hispanic single race, 

and other (Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic; American Indian/Alaska Native, non-Hispanic; and 

multiple races, non-Hispanic). 

Health insurance status 

Individuals under age 65 were classified in the following three insurance categories based on household 

responses to health insurance status questions: 

- Any private health insurance: Individuals who, at any time during the year, had insurance that provides 

coverage for hospital and physician care (other than Medicare, Medicaid, or other public 

hospital/physician coverage) were classified as having private insurance. Coverage by TRICARE 

(Armed Forces–related coverage) was also included as private health insurance. Insurance that 

provides coverage for a single service only, such as dental or vision coverage, was not included. 
- Public coverage only: Individuals were considered to have public coverage only if they met both of the 

following criteria: 1) they were not covered by private insurance at any time during the year, and 2) they 

were covered by one of the following public programs at any point during the year: Medicare, Medicaid, 

or other public hospital/physician coverage. 

- Uninsured: The uninsured were defined as people not covered by private hospital/physician insurance, 

Medicare, TRICARE, Medicaid, or other public hospital/physician programs at any time during the entire 

year or period of eligibility for the survey. 

Individuals 65 and older were classified into the following three insurance categories: 

- Medicare only: Individuals who, at any time during the year, were covered by Medicare only. 

- Medicare plus private: Individuals who at any time during the year, were covered by a combination of 

Medicare, TRICARE or private insurance. 

- Medicare plus other public coverage: Individuals who, at any time during the year, were covered by 

Medicare in addition to some other type of public insurance, and no other private coverage. 

Metropolitan areas 

Metropolitan areas are metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) designated by the U.S. Office of 

Management and Budget that are composed of a large population nucleus combined with adjacent 

communities that have a high degree of economic and social integration with the nucleus. An MSA has 

one or more central counties containing the area’s main population concentration. 

About MEPS-HC 

MEPS-HC is a nationally representative longitudinal survey that collects detailed information on health 

care utilization and expenditures, health insurance, and health status, as well as a wide variety of social, 

demographic, and economic characteristics for the civilian noninstitutionalized population. It is cosponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Center for Health Statistics. 

For more information about MEPS, call the MEPS information coordinator at AHRQ (301-427-1656) or 

visit the MEPS Web site at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/. 

References 

For a detailed description of the MEPS survey design, sample design, and methods used to minimize 

sources of nonsampling error, see the following publications: 

Cohen, J. Design and Methods of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component. MEPS 

Methodology Report No. 1. AHCPR Pub. No. 97-0026. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Health Care Policy and 

Research, 1997. 

Cohen, S. Sample Design of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component. MEPS 

Methodology Report No. 2. AHCPR Pub. No. 97-0027. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Health Care Policy and 

Research, 1997. 

Cohen, S. Design Strategies and Innovations in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Medical Care,

July 2003: 41(7) Supplement: III-5–III-12. 

For information on aspirin use, see the following: 

Aspirin: Questions and Answers – http://www.fda.gov/cder/news/aspirin/aspirin_QA.htm 

Aspirin for Reducing Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke: KNOW THE FACTS, Center for Drug 

Evaluation and Research – http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/dailyaspirin_ brochure.htm 

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Aspirin for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events—

Chemoprevention – http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsasmi.htm 

Can daily aspirin therapy save your life? University of Michigan Health Minute update on important health 

issues – http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2003/aspirin.htm 
Suggested Citation 

Soni, A. Aspirin Use among the Adult U.S. Noninstitutionalized Population, with and without Indicators of 

Heart Disease, 2005. Statistical Brief #179. July 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 

Rockville, Md. http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st179/ stat179.pdf 

∗ ∗ ∗

AHRQ welcomes questions and comments from readers of this publication who are interested in 

obtaining more information about access, cost, use, financing, and quality of health care in the United 

States. We also invite you to tell us how you are using this Statistical Brief and other MEPS data and 

tools and to share suggestions on how MEPS products might be enhanced to further meet your needs. 

Please e-mail us at mepspd@ahrq.gov or send a letter to the address below: 

Steven B. Cohen, PhD, Director 

Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 

540 Gaither Road 

Rockville, MD 20850 
Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005

16.6

55.5

63.7

14.8

4.2

22.7

41.4

19.3

4.6

27.0

48.5

53.9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Total population 18-44 45-64 65+

Total With indicators of heart disease Without indicators of heart disease

P

ercent

Figure 1. Percentage of adults, with and without

indicators of heart disease, who took aspirin daily

or every other day, by age, 2005

Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005

47.4

15.3 14.4

20.4 18.3

61.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Male Female

Total With indicators of heart disease Without indicators of heart disease

P

ercent

Figure 2. Percentage of adults, with and without

indicators of heart disease, who took aspirin daily

or every other day, by sex, 2005

Statistical Brief #179: Aspirin Use among the Adult U.S. Noninstitutionalized Population, with and without Indicators of

Heart Disease, 2005
Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005

55.2

47.9

54.0

43.4

8.1

17.2

11.4 9.1

12.9

10.1

22.3

15.1 17.0

11.5

49.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Hispanic White nonHispanicBlack nonHispanicAsian nonHispanicOther nonHispanic

Total With indicators of heart disease Without indicators of heart disease

P

ercent

Figure 3. Percentage of adults, with and without

indicators of heart disease, who took aspirin daily

or every other day, by race/ethnicity, 2005

Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005

57.2

14.3 18.6 17.1

23.1

53.0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Metropolitan area Non-metropolitan area

Total With indicators of heart disease Without indicators of heart disease

P

ercent

Figure 4. Percentage of adults, with and without

indicators of heart disease, who took aspirin daily or

every other day, by metropolitan area, 2005

Statistical Brief #179: Aspirin Use among the Adult U.S. Noninstitutionalized Population, with and without Indicators of

Heart Disease, 2005
Source: Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ, Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005 Percent

Figure 5. Percentage of adults, with and without

indicators of heart disease, who took aspirin daily or

every other day, by age and insurance status, 2005

18-64

9.9 8.5 14.2

45.8

12.0

43.8

14.6

41.4

10.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Total With indicators of

heart disease

Without

indicators of

heart disease

65+

44.3

53.8

35.1

44.7

58.7

38.4

68.5

52.0

41.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Total With indicators of

heart disease

Without

indicators of

heart disease

Private Public only Uninsured Medicare only Medicare+Private Medicare+Public

Statistical Brief #179: Aspirin Use among the Adult U.S. Noninstitutionalized Population, with and without Indicators of

Heart Disease, 2005