Table 2.

Demographic and Health Characteristics of Respondents

Characteristic	Unweighted		Weighted^*
Characteristic	%	n	%	n
Demographics
Age
18–24	9	275	15.5	489
25–34	18	567	18.5	583
35–44	23	726	22	700
45–54	20	642	18	573
55–64	12	384	11	353
65+	18	575	15	462
Gender
Female	55	1757	48	1523
Male	45	1452	53	1686
Race
White (non-Hispanic)	78	2477	71	2247
Black/African American (non-Hispanic)	10	319	12	390
Hispanic	8	249	11	342
Asian/Pacific Islanders (non-Hispanic)	2	58	4	116
Other (non-Hispanic)	3	82	3	90
Educational status
Less than high school	4	114	5	161
Completed high school	59	1870	71	2274
Completed college	27	858	17	548
Advanced degree	11	354	7	211
Annual income
<$35,000	47	1306	53	1481
$35,000–$74,999	34	962	32	904
$75,000–$124,999	13	366	11	309
>$125,000	6	176	4	120
Health status
Good	62	1977	73	2333
Poor^†	38	1224	27	871
Health care factors
Health insurance status
Insured	93	2957	85	2698
Not insured	7	236	15	474
In managed care?
Yes	65	1889	66	1743
No	35	1008	34	886
% of Respondents who responded `often` or `sometimes` to the following statements:
Doctors have excellent medical skills	95	2999	95	2989
Doctors are open to what patients say	83	2633	84	2648
Doctors are behind in their knowledge of research and the latest treatments.	74	2261	74	2259
Doctors spend enough time with their patients	69	2161	69	2191
Proactive approach to health information^‡
Yes	40	1268	35	1134
No	60	1932	65	2068
Have a regular doctor?
Yes	85	2728	81	2596
No	15	477	19	612
Rating of level of care from regular doctor, or doctor seen most often?
Excellent/very good	71	2058	69	1948
Good	21	620	22	612
Fair/poor	8	225	9	246
How often does regular doctor encourage you to look for information?
Often/sometimes	38	1033	38	971
Hardly ever/never	62	1667	62	1599

* Data were weighted to adjust for unequal probability of selection (including the oversample of persons in poor health). To adjust for survey nonresponse, stratification weights were developed using the March 2000 Current Population Survey from the US Census Bureau as standard. The poststratification weights were based on gender within age within race, as well as education, health insurance status (insured vs. uninsured), and household size. This weighting procedure results in a sample that is representative of the US population.
† Poor health was defined as having a chronic disease or disability that prevented respondent from participating fully in school, work, housework, or other activities; having been hospitalized other than for a normal delivery within the past 12 months; and/or the respondent defining their health as fair or poor rather than excellent, very good, or good.
‡ See text for definition.