Receipt of preventive care among adults: insurance status and usual source of care.

OBJECTIVES: This study ascertained the separate and combined effects of having insurance and a usual source of care on receiving preventive services.

METHODS: Descriptive and multivariate analyses of 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were conducted.

RESULTS: Receipt of preventive services was strongly associated with insurance and a usual source of care. Significant differences were found between insured adults with a usual source of care, who were most likely to have received services, compared with uninsured adults without regular care, who were least likely to have received services. Those with either a usual source of care or insurance had intermediate levels of preventive services.

CONCLUSIONS: Having a usual source of care and health insurance are both important to achieving national prevention goals.