Data Analysis and Insights
Decline in Health Status Among U.S. Seniors in 2020 Compared to 2019
In 2020, the share of U.S. seniors aged 65 and older reporting their
health as fair or poor decreased to
23.1% from
25.1% in 2019, marking a notable improvement of
2 percentage points. This change suggests a significant shift in health perceptions or
health outcomes among the senior
population during the initial phase of the global pandemic.
Lowest Reported Poor Health Status in 2021
The year 2021 saw the lowest percentage of U.S. seniors aged 65 and older reporting fair or poor health, at
22.6%. This figure represents a slight improvement from 2020, indicating a continuing trend of perceived better health or actual health improvements among seniors during this period.
Slight Increase in Poor Health Perception in 2022
Following the trend of improvement, 2022 witnessed a slight reversal, with
23.5% of U.S. seniors aged 65 and older reporting their health as fair or poor. This increase of
0.9 percentage points from 2021 might reflect changes in health status, access to healthcare, or perception of
well-being among the senior demographic.
Overall Trend Towards Better Health Among Seniors Over Four Years
Analyzing the data from 2019 to 2022, there is a general trend towards a lower percentage of U.S. seniors reporting fair or poor health, decreasing from
25.1% in 2019 to
23.5% in 2022. This downward trend, despite the slight uptick in 2022, highlights an overall improvement or better management of health among seniors in the
United States during these years.