GITNUXREPORT 2026

Healthcare Inequality Statistics

Healthcare inequality persists across race, income, geography, and other identity factors.

Min-ji Park

Research Analyst focused on sustainability and consumer trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Adults over 65 had 3x fall hospitalization rates, 25,000 vs 8,000 per 100,000 under 65 in 2021

Statistic 2

Disabled adults were 4x more likely uninsured, 14% vs 3.5% non-disabled in 2022

Statistic 3

Children with disabilities had 50% higher unmet dental needs, 30% vs 15% in 2020

Statistic 4

Elders 85+ had dementia prevalence 30%, with 40% lacking caregivers

Statistic 5

Disabled workers had 2x higher chronic disease rates

Statistic 6

In 2021, 25% of disabled adults skipped meds due to cost vs 10% non-disabled

Statistic 7

Youth with developmental disabilities had 3x autism diagnosis delays

Statistic 8

Centenarians had 90% functional limitations, with hospice access 20% lower

Statistic 9

Physically disabled had 35% lower cancer screening rates

Statistic 10

Adults 75+ had flu hospitalization rates 4x younger adults

Statistic 11

Intellectually disabled had 5x higher early death rates

Statistic 12

Disabled elders had 50% more polypharmacy risks

Statistic 13

Children under 5 with disabilities had 40% higher hospitalization

Statistic 14

Mobility-impaired had 2.5x ambulance non-transport rates

Statistic 15

65-74 year olds had arthritis rates 50%, limiting 30% mobility

Statistic 16

Visually impaired had 3x depression rates

Statistic 17

Disabled veterans had 60% PTSD comorbidity

Statistic 18

Frail elders had 70% hospital readmission risk

Statistic 19

Hearing loss adults over 70 had 25% isolation, worsening cognition

Statistic 20

Disabled low-income had 4x food insecurity health impacts

Statistic 21

Women aged 18-64 were 10% more likely to be uninsured than men in 2022, 11.2% vs 10.1%

Statistic 22

Transgender adults reported healthcare discrimination at 33% vs 11% cisgender in 2021

Statistic 23

Women had 20% higher rates of depression diagnosis, 10.5% vs 8.6% men in 2020, but lower treatment access

Statistic 24

Lesbian women had 2.5 times higher obesity rates, 38% vs 15% heterosexual

Statistic 25

Men had 80% of suicide deaths despite equal ideation rates in 2021

Statistic 26

Trans youth had 50% unmet mental health needs vs 20% cis in 2022

Statistic 27

Women delayed cancer screenings 15% more during COVID, 25% vs 18% men

Statistic 28

Gay men had HIV prevalence 70 times higher than straight men, 12% vs 0.2% in 2021

Statistic 29

Women over 65 had 25% lower prescription coverage satisfaction

Statistic 30

Bisexual women reported 2x chronic pain rates, 35% vs 17%

Statistic 31

Men had 1.5x higher colorectal cancer mortality despite equal incidence

Statistic 32

Trans adults avoided care 40% more due to stigma

Statistic 33

Women had 30% more anxiety disorders, but 20% less access to therapy

Statistic 34

LGBQ+ elders had 2x isolation rates impacting health

Statistic 35

Pregnant women in poverty had 50% higher preeclampsia rates

Statistic 36

Gay men had 25% higher PrEP underutilization

Statistic 37

Women veterans had 2x PTSD rates but lower VA access

Statistic 38

Non-binary individuals had 60% emergency visits without insurance

Statistic 39

Men over 50 had 40% lower preventive visits

Statistic 40

Lesbian couples had 15% higher infertility treatment barriers

Statistic 41

Rural residents had 20% fewer specialists per capita than urban in 2021, 0.45 vs 0.56 per 1,000

Statistic 42

In 2022, rural hospitals had 40% higher closure risk, leading to 60-mile drives for care

Statistic 43

Urban poor had mammogram access 15% higher than rural poor in 2020, 68% vs 53%

Statistic 44

Rural stroke mortality was 20% higher than urban, 45.2 vs 37.8 per 100,000 in 2019

Statistic 45

In 2021, 21% of rural adults lacked broadband for telehealth vs 11% urban

Statistic 46

Rural opioid death rates 50% higher, 25.3 vs 16.9 per 100,000 in 2021

Statistic 47

Urban areas had 2.5 times more MRI machines per capita in 2020

Statistic 48

In 2022, rural maternal mortality 60% higher, 29.4 vs 18.3 per 100,000

Statistic 49

Rural diabetics had retinopathy screening 25% lower, 55% vs 73% urban in 2019

Statistic 50

In 2021, 30% of rural hospitals lacked laborists vs 10% urban, increasing C-sections

Statistic 51

Southern states had cancer mortality 15% higher than Northeast, 185 vs 161 per 100,000 in 2020

Statistic 52

Rural mental health provider ratio 1:2,500 vs urban 1:450 in 2022

Statistic 53

Western rural areas had 35% higher ambulance response times, 20 min vs 14 min urban

Statistic 54

In 2020, Appalachian counties had life expectancy 5 years lower, 74.9 vs 79.1 national

Statistic 55

Rural colorectal screening 15% lower, 62% vs 72% urban in 2021

Statistic 56

Midwest rural heart failure readmissions 10% higher

Statistic 57

Pacific Northwest rural vaccination rates 20% lower for HPV, 50% vs 65%

Statistic 58

In 2022, Texas-Mexico border had TB rates 3x state average

Statistic 59

Alaska Natives in remote areas had 40% higher ER visit rates for preventable conditions

Statistic 60

In 2021, Black infants in the United States had a mortality rate of 10.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is 2.4 times higher than the rate for White infants at 4.5 per 1,000

Statistic 61

Hispanic adults aged 18-64 were 1.5 times more likely to report cost-related barriers to accessing prescription medications in 2022 compared to non-Hispanic Whites, with 22% vs 15% affected

Statistic 62

American Indian and Alaska Native people experienced a diabetes mortality rate of 43.7 per 100,000 in 2020, 1.7 times higher than the White rate of 25.6 per 100,000

Statistic 63

In 2022, Asian Americans had the lowest hypertension prevalence at 28.5%, but Southeast Asian subgroups like Vietnamese had rates up to 45%, compared to 42.1% for non-Hispanic Blacks

Statistic 64

Black women were 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women in 2021, with rates of 69.9 vs 21.1 per 100,000 live births

Statistic 65

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders had a cancer incidence rate 10% higher than Whites in 2019, at 456 per 100,000 vs 414, with higher mortality from liver cancer

Statistic 66

In 2020, Hispanics were twice as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to lack a usual source of care, 28% vs 14%, exacerbating chronic disease management

Statistic 67

Black Americans accounted for 33% of kidney failure cases in 2021 despite being 13% of the population, with ESRD incidence 3.5 times higher than Whites

Statistic 68

In 2022, 24% of Asian adults delayed care due to cost vs 18% of Whites, but South Asians reported higher mental health access barriers

Statistic 69

American Indians had an opioid overdose death rate of 52.1 per 100,000 in 2021, 2.5 times the national average of 21.0

Statistic 70

Black children under 5 had asthma hospitalization rates 4.6 times higher than White children in 2019, at 92 vs 20 per 10,000

Statistic 71

Hispanics experienced 15% lower breast cancer screening rates than non-Hispanic Whites in 2021, 65.4% vs 77.2%, leading to later diagnoses

Statistic 72

In 2020, Native Hawaiians had stroke mortality 1.8 times higher than Whites, 78.2 vs 43.5 per 100,000

Statistic 73

Black men had prostate cancer mortality 2.1 times that of White men in 2021, 48.5 vs 23.1 per 100,000

Statistic 74

In 2022, 31% of Hispanics reported discrimination in healthcare vs 12% of Whites, correlating with lower trust and utilization

Statistic 75

Asian elders had 20% lower flu vaccination rates than Whites in 2021, 78% vs 98%, increasing hospitalization risks

Statistic 76

Blacks comprised 53% of HIV diagnoses in 2021 despite 12.6% population share, with late diagnosis rates 15% higher

Statistic 77

In 2019, AI/AN women had cervical cancer incidence 1.6 times higher than White women, 10.2 vs 6.5 per 100,000

Statistic 78

Hispanic youth had obesity rates 20% higher than White youth in 2020, 26.2% vs 21.8%, linked to diabetes disparities

Statistic 79

Black adults had 30% higher COVID-19 hospitalization rates than Whites in 2021, adjusted for age

Statistic 80

In 2020, adults in households earning less than $25,000 annually were 3 times more likely to skip medications due to cost than those earning $100,000+, 35% vs 12%

Statistic 81

Low-income children under 18 had dental care access rates 40% lower than high-income peers in 2021, 45% vs 85% with preventive visits

Statistic 82

In 2022, uninsured adults were 5 times more likely to delay care due to cost, 44% vs 9% insured

Statistic 83

Poor adults reported fair/poor health at 28% in 2021 vs 7% near-poor and 4% high-income

Statistic 84

In 2019, Medicaid enrollees had 50% higher preventable hospitalization rates than privately insured, 2,500 vs 1,650 per 100,000

Statistic 85

Low-SES neighborhoods had 25% fewer primary care physicians per capita in 2020, 1.2 vs 1.6 per 1,000 residents

Statistic 86

In 2022, 62% of low-income adults rationed food to pay medical bills vs 15% high-income

Statistic 87

Poor women had mammogram screening rates 15% lower than affluent in 2021, 62% vs 77%

Statistic 88

In 2020, low-income diabetics had A1C control rates 20% below high-income, 45% vs 65% below 8%

Statistic 89

Uninsured rate among poor adults was 25% in 2022 vs 3% for high-income

Statistic 90

In 2021, low-SES youth had mental health treatment rates half of high-SES, 15% vs 30%

Statistic 91

Poor elders delayed care 2.5 times more than wealthy in 2022, 28% vs 11%

Statistic 92

In 2019, Medicaid patients had 35% longer ER wait times, 4.2 vs 3.1 hours

Statistic 93

Low-income areas had infant mortality 1.8 times higher, 8.2 vs 4.6 per 1,000 in 2020

Statistic 94

In 2022, 40% of poor adults forwent needed care vs 10% affluent

Statistic 95

Poor smokers had quit rates 15% lower, with cessation program access 30% less

Statistic 96

In 2021, low-SES cancer patients had 20% lower 5-year survival rates

Statistic 97

Medicaid births had 50% higher preterm rates, 12% vs 8% private insurance in 2020

Statistic 98

Poor adults had depression screening rates 25% lower in 2022

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In a nation founded on equality, the color of your skin, the money in your wallet, and your zip code too often dictate your health outcomes, from the devastating fact that Black infants are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthday to the harsh reality that low-income families are three times more likely to skip vital medications due to cost.

Key Takeaways

In 2021, Black infants in the United States had a mortality rate of 10.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is 2.4 times higher than the rate for White infants at 4.5 per 1,000
Hispanic adults aged 18-64 were 1.5 times more likely to report cost-related barriers to accessing prescription medications in 2022 compared to non-Hispanic Whites, with 22% vs 15% affected
American Indian and Alaska Native people experienced a diabetes mortality rate of 43.7 per 100,000 in 2020, 1.7 times higher than the White rate of 25.6 per 100,000
In 2020, adults in households earning less than $25,000 annually were 3 times more likely to skip medications due to cost than those earning $100,000+, 35% vs 12%
Low-income children under 18 had dental care access rates 40% lower than high-income peers in 2021, 45% vs 85% with preventive visits
In 2022, uninsured adults were 5 times more likely to delay care due to cost, 44% vs 9% insured
Rural residents had 20% fewer specialists per capita than urban in 2021, 0.45 vs 0.56 per 1,000
In 2022, rural hospitals had 40% higher closure risk, leading to 60-mile drives for care
Urban poor had mammogram access 15% higher than rural poor in 2020, 68% vs 53%
Women aged 18-64 were 10% more likely to be uninsured than men in 2022, 11.2% vs 10.1%
Transgender adults reported healthcare discrimination at 33% vs 11% cisgender in 2021
Women had 20% higher rates of depression diagnosis, 10.5% vs 8.6% men in 2020, but lower treatment access
Adults over 65 had 3x fall hospitalization rates, 25,000 vs 8,000 per 100,000 under 65 in 2021
Disabled adults were 4x more likely uninsured, 14% vs 3.5% non-disabled in 2022
Children with disabilities had 50% higher unmet dental needs, 30% vs 15% in 2020

Healthcare inequality persists across race, income, geography, and other identity factors.

Age and Disability Disparities

Adults over 65 had 3x fall hospitalization rates, 25,000 vs 8,000 per 100,000 under 65 in 2021
Disabled adults were 4x more likely uninsured, 14% vs 3.5% non-disabled in 2022
Children with disabilities had 50% higher unmet dental needs, 30% vs 15% in 2020
Elders 85+ had dementia prevalence 30%, with 40% lacking caregivers
Disabled workers had 2x higher chronic disease rates
In 2021, 25% of disabled adults skipped meds due to cost vs 10% non-disabled
Youth with developmental disabilities had 3x autism diagnosis delays
Centenarians had 90% functional limitations, with hospice access 20% lower
Physically disabled had 35% lower cancer screening rates
Adults 75+ had flu hospitalization rates 4x younger adults
Intellectually disabled had 5x higher early death rates
Disabled elders had 50% more polypharmacy risks
Children under 5 with disabilities had 40% higher hospitalization
Mobility-impaired had 2.5x ambulance non-transport rates
65-74 year olds had arthritis rates 50%, limiting 30% mobility
Visually impaired had 3x depression rates
Disabled veterans had 60% PTSD comorbidity
Frail elders had 70% hospital readmission risk
Hearing loss adults over 70 had 25% isolation, worsening cognition
Disabled low-income had 4x food insecurity health impacts

Age and Disability Disparities Interpretation

Behind every stark statistic lies a human story of compounded struggle, where age, disability, and poverty intersect to create a healthcare landscape where the most vulnerable are systematically left to fend with greater need yet far less support.

Gender and Sexual Orientation Disparities

Women aged 18-64 were 10% more likely to be uninsured than men in 2022, 11.2% vs 10.1%
Transgender adults reported healthcare discrimination at 33% vs 11% cisgender in 2021
Women had 20% higher rates of depression diagnosis, 10.5% vs 8.6% men in 2020, but lower treatment access
Lesbian women had 2.5 times higher obesity rates, 38% vs 15% heterosexual
Men had 80% of suicide deaths despite equal ideation rates in 2021
Trans youth had 50% unmet mental health needs vs 20% cis in 2022
Women delayed cancer screenings 15% more during COVID, 25% vs 18% men
Gay men had HIV prevalence 70 times higher than straight men, 12% vs 0.2% in 2021
Women over 65 had 25% lower prescription coverage satisfaction
Bisexual women reported 2x chronic pain rates, 35% vs 17%
Men had 1.5x higher colorectal cancer mortality despite equal incidence
Trans adults avoided care 40% more due to stigma
Women had 30% more anxiety disorders, but 20% less access to therapy
LGBQ+ elders had 2x isolation rates impacting health
Pregnant women in poverty had 50% higher preeclampsia rates
Gay men had 25% higher PrEP underutilization
Women veterans had 2x PTSD rates but lower VA access
Non-binary individuals had 60% emergency visits without insurance
Men over 50 had 40% lower preventive visits
Lesbian couples had 15% higher infertility treatment barriers

Gender and Sexual Orientation Disparities Interpretation

The statistics paint a grim portrait of a healthcare system that too often operates like a cruel algorithm, calculating your risk, your suffering, and your access not just by your ailment, but by your gender, your orientation, your income, and your identity.

Geographic and Rural-Urban Disparities

Rural residents had 20% fewer specialists per capita than urban in 2021, 0.45 vs 0.56 per 1,000
In 2022, rural hospitals had 40% higher closure risk, leading to 60-mile drives for care
Urban poor had mammogram access 15% higher than rural poor in 2020, 68% vs 53%
Rural stroke mortality was 20% higher than urban, 45.2 vs 37.8 per 100,000 in 2019
In 2021, 21% of rural adults lacked broadband for telehealth vs 11% urban
Rural opioid death rates 50% higher, 25.3 vs 16.9 per 100,000 in 2021
Urban areas had 2.5 times more MRI machines per capita in 2020
In 2022, rural maternal mortality 60% higher, 29.4 vs 18.3 per 100,000
Rural diabetics had retinopathy screening 25% lower, 55% vs 73% urban in 2019
In 2021, 30% of rural hospitals lacked laborists vs 10% urban, increasing C-sections
Southern states had cancer mortality 15% higher than Northeast, 185 vs 161 per 100,000 in 2020
Rural mental health provider ratio 1:2,500 vs urban 1:450 in 2022
Western rural areas had 35% higher ambulance response times, 20 min vs 14 min urban
In 2020, Appalachian counties had life expectancy 5 years lower, 74.9 vs 79.1 national
Rural colorectal screening 15% lower, 62% vs 72% urban in 2021
Midwest rural heart failure readmissions 10% higher
Pacific Northwest rural vaccination rates 20% lower for HPV, 50% vs 65%
In 2022, Texas-Mexico border had TB rates 3x state average
Alaska Natives in remote areas had 40% higher ER visit rates for preventable conditions

Geographic and Rural-Urban Disparities Interpretation

If geography is destiny, then a rural zip code delivers a cruel diagnosis of fewer doctors, slower ambulances, and higher mortality rates, all while the luxury of simply logging on to see a specialist remains frustratingly out of reach for far too many.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities

In 2021, Black infants in the United States had a mortality rate of 10.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is 2.4 times higher than the rate for White infants at 4.5 per 1,000
Hispanic adults aged 18-64 were 1.5 times more likely to report cost-related barriers to accessing prescription medications in 2022 compared to non-Hispanic Whites, with 22% vs 15% affected
American Indian and Alaska Native people experienced a diabetes mortality rate of 43.7 per 100,000 in 2020, 1.7 times higher than the White rate of 25.6 per 100,000
In 2022, Asian Americans had the lowest hypertension prevalence at 28.5%, but Southeast Asian subgroups like Vietnamese had rates up to 45%, compared to 42.1% for non-Hispanic Blacks
Black women were 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women in 2021, with rates of 69.9 vs 21.1 per 100,000 live births
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders had a cancer incidence rate 10% higher than Whites in 2019, at 456 per 100,000 vs 414, with higher mortality from liver cancer
In 2020, Hispanics were twice as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to lack a usual source of care, 28% vs 14%, exacerbating chronic disease management
Black Americans accounted for 33% of kidney failure cases in 2021 despite being 13% of the population, with ESRD incidence 3.5 times higher than Whites
In 2022, 24% of Asian adults delayed care due to cost vs 18% of Whites, but South Asians reported higher mental health access barriers
American Indians had an opioid overdose death rate of 52.1 per 100,000 in 2021, 2.5 times the national average of 21.0
Black children under 5 had asthma hospitalization rates 4.6 times higher than White children in 2019, at 92 vs 20 per 10,000
Hispanics experienced 15% lower breast cancer screening rates than non-Hispanic Whites in 2021, 65.4% vs 77.2%, leading to later diagnoses
In 2020, Native Hawaiians had stroke mortality 1.8 times higher than Whites, 78.2 vs 43.5 per 100,000
Black men had prostate cancer mortality 2.1 times that of White men in 2021, 48.5 vs 23.1 per 100,000
In 2022, 31% of Hispanics reported discrimination in healthcare vs 12% of Whites, correlating with lower trust and utilization
Asian elders had 20% lower flu vaccination rates than Whites in 2021, 78% vs 98%, increasing hospitalization risks
Blacks comprised 53% of HIV diagnoses in 2021 despite 12.6% population share, with late diagnosis rates 15% higher
In 2019, AI/AN women had cervical cancer incidence 1.6 times higher than White women, 10.2 vs 6.5 per 100,000
Hispanic youth had obesity rates 20% higher than White youth in 2020, 26.2% vs 21.8%, linked to diabetes disparities
Black adults had 30% higher COVID-19 hospitalization rates than Whites in 2021, adjusted for age

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Interpretation

America’s healthcare system is a dazzling array of successes, but the fine print reveals an unsettling truth: it operates as a tiered loyalty program where your zip code and complexion can determine your access to care, the quality of your outcomes, and even your chances of survival.

Socioeconomic Status Disparities

In 2020, adults in households earning less than $25,000 annually were 3 times more likely to skip medications due to cost than those earning $100,000+, 35% vs 12%
Low-income children under 18 had dental care access rates 40% lower than high-income peers in 2021, 45% vs 85% with preventive visits
In 2022, uninsured adults were 5 times more likely to delay care due to cost, 44% vs 9% insured
Poor adults reported fair/poor health at 28% in 2021 vs 7% near-poor and 4% high-income
In 2019, Medicaid enrollees had 50% higher preventable hospitalization rates than privately insured, 2,500 vs 1,650 per 100,000
Low-SES neighborhoods had 25% fewer primary care physicians per capita in 2020, 1.2 vs 1.6 per 1,000 residents
In 2022, 62% of low-income adults rationed food to pay medical bills vs 15% high-income
Poor women had mammogram screening rates 15% lower than affluent in 2021, 62% vs 77%
In 2020, low-income diabetics had A1C control rates 20% below high-income, 45% vs 65% below 8%
Uninsured rate among poor adults was 25% in 2022 vs 3% for high-income
In 2021, low-SES youth had mental health treatment rates half of high-SES, 15% vs 30%
Poor elders delayed care 2.5 times more than wealthy in 2022, 28% vs 11%
In 2019, Medicaid patients had 35% longer ER wait times, 4.2 vs 3.1 hours
Low-income areas had infant mortality 1.8 times higher, 8.2 vs 4.6 per 1,000 in 2020
In 2022, 40% of poor adults forwent needed care vs 10% affluent
Poor smokers had quit rates 15% lower, with cessation program access 30% less
In 2021, low-SES cancer patients had 20% lower 5-year survival rates
Medicaid births had 50% higher preterm rates, 12% vs 8% private insurance in 2020
Poor adults had depression screening rates 25% lower in 2022

Socioeconomic Status Disparities Interpretation

Our healthcare system is like a luxury cruise liner where first-class passengers receive attentive care while those in steerage are handed a bucket and told to start bailing, as evidenced by everything from the fact that low-income adults skip medications at triple the rate to poor children missing crucial dental visits and uninsured patients being five times more likely to delay care.

Sources & References

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