Many Americans view access to health care as essential for the healthy and secure development of children in their formative years. This Census Brief, based on data collected during the March 1997 Current Population Survey, reports on how well American children are protected by health insurance. The data show that the number of American children without health coverage rose from 8.2 million to 10.6 million from 1987 to 1996, overall a period of relative prosperity.

This increase was not simply due to an increase in the number of children (defined as those below the age of 18) during the 9-year period. The proportion of uncovered children rose as well, from 12.9 percent to 14.8 percent of the under-18 population.

Fact: In 1996, 1 in 7 children in the United States had no health insurance.

Others in Series

Publication

Immigration Bolsters U.S. Housing Market

December 01, 1997

This brief analyzes homeownership among the U.S. foreign-born population to determine if immigrants have been as successful as the native-born.

Publication

Disabilities Affect 1/5 of All Americans: Proportion Could Increase

December 1997

This brief explores the kinds and severity of disabilities of the American population and the trend in the coming decades.

Publication

Increase in At-Home Workers Reverses Earlier Trend

March 1998

This brief analyzes trends in work-at-home patterns: who these workers are, what kind of work they do and how often they do it.

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Related Information

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Health Insurance Publications

Children Publications

Current Population Survey Publications

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