Source of Usual Care for Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024

NCHS Data Brief No. 558, April 2026

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Laryssa Mykyta, Ph.D., and Julie D. Weeks, Ph.D.

Introduction

Having a regular health care provider or a place for routine medical care can provide early detection, treatment, and management of chronic disease (1). In addition, having a source of usual health care when one is sick or needs care is associated with an increased likelihood of receiving preventive screenings and services (1-3). This Data Brief uses 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to examine sources of usual health care among adults age 18 and older by sex and age group.

Source of usual health care

• In 2024, 90.3% of adults had a source of usual health care, meaning a usual place where they go if they are sick and need care (Figure 1, Table 1).
• Women were more likely to have a source of usual care (93.3%) than men (87.1%).
• The percentage of adults with a source of usual care increased with age, from 83.7% among adults ages 18-34 to 97.5% among those 65 and older.

Doctor's office or health center

• In 2024, more than three in four adults used a doctor's office or health center (77.5%) as their source of usual care (Figure 2, Table 2).
• Women were more likely to report a doctor's office or health center (82.2%) as their source of usual care compared with men (72.6%).
• The percentage of adults with a doctor's office or health center as their source of usual care increased with age, from 67.7% among adults ages 18-34 to 88.8% among those 65 and older.

Urgent care center or clinic

• In 2024, 8.6% of adults reported an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store as their source of usual health care (Figure 3, Table 3).
• The percentages of men and women with an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store as their source of usual care were similar.
• The percentage of adults with an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store as their source of usual care decreased with age, from 12.2% of adults ages 18-34 to 3.8% of adults 65 and older.

VA medical center or clinic

• In 2024, 1.5% of adults used a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center or VA outpatient clinic as their source of usual health care (Figure 4, Table 4).
• Men were more likely (2.6%) than women (0.4%) to report a VA medical center or VA outpatient clinic as their source of usual care.
• The percentage of adults with a VA medical center or VA outpatient clinic as their source of usual care increased with age, from 0.7% of adults ages 18-34 to 2.6% of adults 65 and older.

Hospital emergency room

• In 2024, a hospital emergency room was the source of usual health care for 1.7% of adults (Figure 5, Table 5).
• Men (2.0%) were more likely than women (1.5%) to use a hospital emergency room as their source of usual care.
• Adults ages 18-34 (2.0%) and 35-49 (1.9%) were more likely to use a hospital emergency room as their source of usual care than adults 50-64 (1.4%) or 65 and older (1.5%).

Summary

Using nationally representative data, this report examines the source of usual health care among adults age 18 and older by sex and age group. In 2024, 9 in 10 adults had a source of usual health care. Women were more likely than men both to have a source of usual care and to report a doctor's office or health center as their source of usual care. Men were more likely than women to report a VA medical center or VA outpatient clinic or a hospital emergency room as their source of usual care. The percentage of adults with a doctor's office or health center or a VA medical center or VA outpatient clinic as their source of usual care increased with age, while the percentage of adults with an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store as their source of usual care declined with age.

Definition

Source of usual care: Based on either a "yes" or "more than one place" response to the survey question, "Is there a place that you usually go if you are sick and need health care?" Adults responding "yes" or "more than one place" were then asked, "What kind of place do you go to most often-a doctor's office or health center; an urgent care center or clinic in a drug store or grocery store; a hospital emergency room; a VA medical center or VA outpatient clinic; or some other place?" Estimates for "some other place" are not shown but are included in total estimates.

Data source and methods

Data from the Sample Adult module of the 2024 NHIS were used for this analysis. NHIS is a nationally representative household survey of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. NHIS is conducted continuously throughout the year by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Interviews are typically initiated face-to-face in respondents' homes, with follow-ups conducted by telephone as needed (4). For more information about NHIS, visit https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.html. Point estimates and corresponding variances for this analysis were calculated using SAS-callable SUDAAN software version 11.0 (5) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. All estimates are based on self-report and meet NCHS data presentation standards for proportions (6). Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Linear trends by age group were evaluated using orthogonal polynomials in logistic regression.

About the authors

Laryssa Mykyta and Julie D. Weeks are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Analysis and Epidemiology. The authors would like to acknowledge Nazik Elgaddal, Division of Analysis and Epidemiology, for providing content review of figures and tables.

References

1. Blewett LA, Johnson PT, Lee BR, Scal PB. When a usual source of care and usual provider matter: Adult prevention and screening services. J Gen Intern Med. 2008 May;23(9):1354-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0659-0.
2. Lee DC, Shi L, Wang J, Sun G. Usual source of care and access to care in the US: 2005 vs. 2015. Orueta JF, editor. PLOS ONE. 2023 Jan;18(1):e0278015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278015.
3. Croke K, Mosa Moshabela, Kapoor NR, Doubova SV, Garcia-Elorrio E, HaileMariam D, et al. Primary health care in practice: Usual source of care and health system performance across 14 countries. The Lancet Global Health. 2024 Jan;12(1):e134-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00513-2.
4. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey: 2024 survey description. 2025. Available from: https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Dataset_Documentation/NHIS/2024/srvydesc-508.pdf.
5. RTI International. SUDAAN (Release 11.0.3) [software]. 2018. Available from: https://www.rti.org/impact/sudaanr-statistical-software-analyzing-correlated-data.
6. 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. Vital Health Stat 2. 2017 Aug;(175):1-22.

Suggested citation

Mykyta L, Weeks JD. Source of usual health care for adults age 18 and older: United States, 2024. NCHS Data Brief. 2026 Apr;(558):1─11. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/252437.

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

Carolyn M. Greene, M.D., Acting Director
Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Associate Director for Science

Division of Analysis and Epidemiology

Irma E. Arispe, Ph.D., Director
Kimberly A. Lochner, Sc.D., Associate Director for Science