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Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, July–December 2009

by Stephen J. Blumberg, Ph.D., and Julian V. Luke, Division of Health Interview Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics

Table 1

Table 1a. Percent distribution of household telephone status, by date of interview, for households: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Household telephone status
Date of interview Landline with a wireless telephone Landline without a wireless telephone Landline with unknown wireless telephone status Nonlandline with unknown wireless telephone status Wireless-only No telephone service Total
Number of households (unweighted) Percent of households
Jan–Jun 2006 16,009 45.6 30.9 10.3 0.7 10.5 2.0 100.0
Jul–Dec 2006 13,056 44.3 29.6 10.2 0.8 12.8 2.2 100.0
Jan–Jun 20071 15,996 58.9 23.8 1.7 0.1 13.6 1.9 100.0
Jul–Dec 2007 13,083 58.8 21.8 1.3 0.1 15.8 2.2 100.0
Jan–Jun 2008 16,070 58.5 20.6 0.9 0.0 17.5 2.5 100.0
Jul–Dec 2008 12,597 59.6 17.4 0.9 0.0 20.2 1.9 100.0
Jan–Jun 2009 12,447 59.4 15.5 0.4 0.0 22.7 1.9 100.0
Jul–Dec 2009 21,375 58.2 14.9 0.4 0.0 24.5 2.0 100.0
95% confidence interval2 57.14–59.33 14.09–15.77 0.27–0.47 0.01–0.06 23.60–25.45 1.77–2.19

See footnotes at end of Table 1c.

Table 1b. Percent distribution of household telephone status, by date of interview, for adults: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Household telephone status
Date of interview Landline with a wireless telephone Landline without a wireless telephone Landline with unknown wireless telephone status Nonlandline with unknown wireless telephone status Wireless-only No telephone service Total
Number of adults (unweighted) Percent of adults aged 18 years and over
Jan–Jun 2006 29,842 49.5 28.2 10.4 0.6 9.6 1.8 100.0
Jul–Dec 2006 24,473 48.1 27.3 10.5 0.7 11.8 1.7 100.0
Jan–Jun 20071 29,982 63.3 20.8 1.7 0.1 12.6 1.6 100.0
Jul–Dec 2007 24,514 63.2 19.1 1.2 0.1 14.5 1.9 100.0
Jan–Jun 2008 30,150 63.0 17.9 0.8 0.0 16.1 2.1 100.0
Jul–Dec 2008 23,726 63.7 15.1 1.0 0.0 18.4 1.7 100.0
Jan–Jun 2009 23,632 63.5 13.4 0.4 0.0 21.1 1.5 100.0
Jul–Dec 2009 40,619 62.5 12.6 0.3 0.0 22.9 1.7 100.0
95% confidence interval2 61.41–63.60 11.84–13.40 0.25–0.45 0.01–0.04 22.00–23.72 1.50–1.89

See footnotes at end of Table 1c.

Table 1c. Percent distribution of household telephone status, by date of interview, for children: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Household telephone status
Date of interview Landline with a wireless telephone Landline without a wireless telephone Landline with unknown wireless telephone status Nonlandline with unknown wireless telephone status Wireless-only No telephone service Total
Number of children (unweighted) Percent of children under age 18 years
Jan–Jun 2006 11,670 53.4 23.8 11.5 0.9 8.6 1.9 100.0
Jul–Dec 2006 9,165 51.9 21.5 11.9 0.9 11.6 2.3 100.0
Jan–Jun 20071 11,532 68.3 16.4 1.6 0.0 11.9 1.7 100.0
Jul–Dec 2007 9,122 68.5 13.8 1.1 0.0 14.4 2.1 100.0
Jan–Jun 2008 11,238 67.3 12.6 0.6 0.0 17.0 2.5 100.0
Jul–Dec 2008 8,635 67.1 11.1 0.7 0.0 18.7 2.4 100.0
Jan–Jun 2009 8,818 67.6 9.1 0.3 0.0 21.3 1.7 100.0
Jul–Dec 2009 14,984 63.4 8.5 0.2 0.0 25.9 1.9 100.0
95% confidence interval2 61.95–64.87 7.58–9.41 0.14–0.45 0.01–0.09 24.57–27.30 1.57–2.39

0.0 means quantity is more than zero but less than 0.05.

1 Questionnaire changes that occurred in 2007 should be considered when evaluating recent trends in household telephone status. See text for more information about these changes.

2 Refers to the time period July through December 2009.

DATA SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, January 2006–December 2009. Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

Table 2

Table 2a. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by race/ethnicity and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Race/ethnicity Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Hispanic or Latino, any race(s) 11.2 15.3 18.0 19.3 21.6 25.0 28.2 30.4 28.63–32.32
Non-Hispanic white, single race 9.0 10.8 11.3 12.9 14.6 16.6 19.7 21.0 19.89–22.10
Non-Hispanic black, single race 10.5 12.8 14.3 18.3 18.5 21.4 21.3 25.0 23.14–27.04
Non-Hispanic Asian, single race 10.2 11.8 10.6 12.1 16.5 17.8 18.0 20.6 18.26–23.11
Non-Hispanic other, single race 9.8 17.2 22.8 17.5 12.8 17.3 20.6 26.5 19.87–34.49
Non-Hispanic multiple race 15.4 14.6 17.3 22.8 22.3 22.5 28.7 26.9 22.09–32.35

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2b. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by age and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Age Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
18–24 years 22.6 25.2 27.9 30.6 31.4 33.1 37.6 37.8 35.38–40.36
25–29 years 22.3 29.1 30.6 34.5 35.7 41.5 45.8 48.6 46.48–50.82
30–34 years 12.1 17.6 16.5 22.0 27.0 30.4 33.5 37.2 35.05–39.48
35–44 years 8.2 10.1 10.8 12.5 15.5 17.5 21.5 23.9 22.51–25.32
45–64 years 5.3 6.1 7.1 8.0 9.2 11.6 12.8 14.9 14.07–15.81
65 years and over 1.3 1.9 2.0 2.2 2.8 3.3 5.4 5.2 4.55–6.03

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2c. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by sex and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Sex Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Male 10.7 13.1 13.8 15.9 18.0 20.0 22.5 24.5 23.57–25.43
Female 8.5 10.5 11.5 13.2 14.4 17.0 19.8 21.3 20.43–22.24

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2d. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by education and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Education Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Some high school or less 8.3 12.9 14.6 15.4 16.1 18.8 22.2 24.7 23.09–26.29
High school graduate or GED3 9.6 10.6 11.8 13.4 15.2 17.8 20.8 22.9 21.63–24.15
Some post-high school, no degree 11.9 14.4 14.7 17.0 19.0 20.1 23.6 25.0 23.71–26.37
4-year college degree or higher 8.5 10.1 10.8 12.7 14.3 17.7 18.2 19.5 18.12–20.98

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2e. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by employment status last week and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Employment status last week Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Working at a job or business 11.6 13.9 15.0 16.6 19.0 21.5 24.3 26.0 25.03–27.06
Keeping house 7.1 8.6 9.5 12.8 12.6 16.0 16.6 20.5 18.78–22.26
Going to school 17.3 20.4 21.3 28.9 21.5 23.5 29.7 29.2 25.21–33.52
Something else (incl. unemployed) 4.2 6.2 6.4 7.6 8.9 11.0 14.0 15.9 14.87–16.96

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2f. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by household structure and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Household structure Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Adult living alone 16.2 18.2 20.3 22.9 24.6 28.1 30.8 32.9 31.04–34.79
Unrelated adults, no children 44.2 54.0 55.3 56.9 63.1 60.6 68.5 62.9 54.47–70.62
Related adults, no children 7.1 8.5 9.8 11.0 12.5 14.7 16.8 17.1 16.13–18.20
Adult(s) with children 8.6 10.5 11.3 13.0 15.1 17.2 20.4 24.1 22.92–25.29

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2g. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by household poverty status and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Household poverty status4 Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Poor 15.8 22.4 21.6 27.4 26.0 30.9 33.0 36.3 33.90–38.81
Near poor 14.4 15.7 18.5 20.8 22.6 23.8 26.5 29.0 27.35–30.74
Not poor 9.4 11.3 10.6 11.9 14.2 16.0 18.9 19.6 18.64–20.59

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2h. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by geographic region and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Geographic region5 Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Northeast 7.2 8.6 8.8 10.0 9.8 11.4 14.6 15.1 13.09–17.27
Midwest 10.2 11.4 14.0 15.3 17.8 20.8 21.9 25.6 23.86–27.51
South 11.4 14.0 14.9 17.1 19.6 21.3 25.0 25.4 24.01–26.93
West 7.8 11.0 10.9 12.9 13.7 17.2 19.0 22.2 20.80–23.76

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2i. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by metropolitan statistical area status and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Metropolitan statistical area status Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Metropolitan 10.3 12.7 13.7 15.5 17.5 19.7 22.4 24.2 23.13–25.20
Not metropolitan 7.0 8.0 8.4 10.0 10.9 13.5 16.5 17.9 16.40–19.54

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2j. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households, by home ownership status and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Home ownership status6 Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Percent
Owned or being bought 5.1 5.8 6.7 7.3 9.0 9.9 12.8 14.0 13.18–14.86
Renting 22.5 26.4 28.2 30.9 33.6 39.2 40.9 43.1 41.51–44.67
Other arrangement 10.7 *20.3 22.5 23.2 23.4 17.7 33.6 33.8 27.64–40.52

See footnotes at end of Table 2k.

Table 2k. Number of wireless-only adults aged 18 years and over in survey sample, by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009
Number of wireless-only adults in survey sample (unweighted) 2,804 2,878 3,819 3,558 4,939 4,426 5,078 9,401

*Estimate has a relative standard error greater than 30% and does not meet National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards for reliability or precision.

1 Questionnaire changes that occurred in 2007 should be considered when evaluating recent trends in household telephone status. See text for more information about these changes.

2 Refers to the time period July through December 2009.

3 GED is General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma.

4 Based on household income and household size using the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. “Poor” persons are defined as those below the poverty threshold. “Near poor” persons have incomes of 100% to less than 200% of the poverty threshold. “Not poor” persons have incomes of 200% of the poverty threshold or greater. Early Release estimates stratified by poverty status are based on reported income only and may differ from similar estimates produced later that are based on both reported and imputed income. NCHS imputes income when income is unknown, but the imputed income file is not available until a few months after the annual release of National Health Interview Survey microdata. For households with multiple families, household income and household size were calculated as the sum of the multiple measures of family income and family size.

5 In the geographic classification of the U.S. population, states are grouped into the following four regions used by the U.S. Census Bureau. Northeast includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Midwest includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. South includes Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. West includes Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii.

6 For households with multiple families, home ownership status was determined by considering the reported home ownership status for each family. If any family reported owning the home, then the household level variable was classified as “owned or being bought” for all persons living in the household. If one family reported renting the home and another family reported “other arrangement,” then the household level variable was classified as “other arrangement” for all persons living in the household.

DATA SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, January 2006–December 2009. Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

Table 3

Table 3a. Percent distribution of race/ethnicity, by date of interview, for adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Race/ethnicity Percent distribution
Hispanic or Latino, any race(s) 15.2 17.1 18.9 18.0 18.1 18.5 18.4 18.5 16.86–20.23
Non-Hispanic white, single race 65.6 64.0 61.5 61.2 62.2 61.9 63.8 62.5 60.29–64.63
Non-Hispanic black, single race 12.5 12.4 12.9 14.4 13.2 13.3 11.7 12.7 11.36–14.14
Non-Hispanic Asian, single race 4.7 4.4 3.8 3.8 4.6 4.4 3.9 4.1 3.48–4.88
Non-Hispanic other, single race *0.6 0.9 *1.6 *0.8 0.6 0.6 0.7 1.0 0.68–1.33
Non-Hispanic multiple race 1.4 1.2 1.3 1.8 1.3 1.2 1.5 1.3 1.00–1.61
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3b. Percent distribution of age, by date of interview, for adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Age Percent distribution
18–24 years 30.5 27.6 28.4 27.2 24.9 23.1 22.9 21.2 19.72–22.74
25–29 years 21.1 22.7 22.3 22.1 20.5 21.0 19.9 19.6 18.46–20.69
30–34 years 11.0 12.9 11.3 13.0 14.3 14.0 13.6 14.0 13.09–15.02
35–44 years 16.8 16.6 16.3 16.3 17.8 17.4 18.4 18.6 17.53–19.79
45–64 years 18.5 17.6 19.1 18.9 19.6 21.6 21.0 22.8 21.65–23.91
65 years and over 2.2 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.9 2.9 4.3 3.8 3.35–4.39
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3c. Percent distribution of sex, by date of interview, for adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Sex Percent distribution
Male 54.1 53.9 52.9 53.0 53.7 52.4 51.4 51.8 50.91–52.67
Female 45.9 46.1 47.1 47.0 46.3 47.6 48.6 48.2 47.33–49.09
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3d. Percent distribution of education, by date of interview, for adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Education Percent distribution
Some high school or less 14.8 17.4 17.5 16.2 15.5 15.8 15.5 16.0 14.76–17.23
High school graduate or GED3 28.3 27.0 27.5 27.5 27.8 27.2 27.7 28.9 27.49–30.36
Some post-high school, no degree 34.7 34.2 32.7 32.9 33.9 31.7 33.3 32.9 31.49–34.31
4-year college degree or higher 22.1 21.4 22.3 23.4 22.8 25.3 23.5 22.3 20.95–23.62
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3e. Percent distribution of employment status last week, by date of interview, for adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan–Jun 2006 Jul–Dec 2006 Jan–Jun 20071 Jul–Dec 20071 Jan–Jun 2008 Jul–Dec 2008 Jan–Jun 2009 Jul–Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Employment status last week Percent
Working at a job or business 78.6 76.7 77.1 74.3 75.9 74.5 71.1 69.1 67.73–70.36
Keeping house 5.2 4.9 5.2 5.6 5.0 5.3 4.5 5.3 4.82–5.79
Going to school 5.6 4.9 5.1 5.8 4.1 3.7 4.6 4.4 3.68–5.20
Something else (incl. unemployed) 10.3 13.0 12.1 13.1 13.7 15.4 18.7 20.2 19.07–21.43
Unknown, not reported *0.2 0.6 0.6 *1.3 1.4 *1.1 1.1 1.1 0.78–1.42
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3f. Percent distribution of household structure, by date of interview, for adults living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2006 Jul-Dec 2006 Jan-Jun 20071 Jul-Dec 20071 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Household structure Percent
Adult living alone 25.4 24.2 25.1 24.4 23.2 23.6 22.1 21.9 20.69-23.25
Unrelated adults, no children 6.8 10.1 6.0 7.7 6.4 5.2 5.4 4.1 3.20-5.11
Related adults, no children 33.1 32.4 34.4 34.2 35.1 36.9 36.0 34.0 32.35-35.60
Adult(s) with children 34.6 33.3 34.6 33.7 35.3 34.3 36.4 40.0 38.33-41.78
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3g. Percent distribution of household poverty status, by date of interview, for adults living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2006 Jul-Dec 2006 Jan-Jun 20071 Jul-Dec 20071 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Household poverty status4 Percent
Poor 12.7 15.7 14.6 16.1 14.1 15.5 15.5 16.4 15.01-17.79
Near poor 19.5 17.1 18.4 18.4 18.1 16.8 17.9 18.5 17.26-19.72
Not poor 47.9 46.2 50.5 49.7 53.4 53.3 56.7 53.0 51.04-54.88
Unknown, not reported 19.9 21.0 16.5 15.8 14.4 14.4 10.0 12.2 11.11-13.44
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3h. Percent distribution of geographic region, by date of interview, for adults living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2006 Jul-Dec 2006 Jan-Jun 20071 Jul-Dec 20071 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Geographic region5 Percent
Northeast 13.8 13.4 12.7 12.4 10.7 11.3 12.2 12.1 10.41-13.93
Midwest 24.1 22.2 25.1 24.6 25.0 26.0 23.9 26.0 23.90-28.32
South 44.1 44.4 42.6 42.7 45.2 41.1 43.8 39.5 37.16-41.82
West 18.0 20.0 19.7 20.4 19.1 21.6 20.1 22.4 20.55-24.43
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3i. Percent distribution of metropolitan statistical area status, by date of interview, for adults living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2006 Jul-Dec 2006 Jan-Jun 20071 Jul-Dec 20071 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Metropolitan statistical area status Percent
Metropolitan 84.4 86.7 86.1 86.9 85.9 85.1 83.3 83.7 81.68-85.48
Not metropolitan 15.6 13.3 13.9 13.1 14.1 14.9 16.7 16.3 14.52-18.32
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3j. Percent distribution of home ownership status, by date of interview, for adults living in wireless-only households: United States, January 2006-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2006 Jul-Dec 2006 Jan-Jun 20071 Jul-Dec 20071 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval2
Home ownership status6 Percent
Owned or being bought 37.4 33.8 37.7 34.8 39.2 37.1 42.1 42.3 40.24-44.47
Renting 60.5 62.6 59.0 61.3 58.1 61.1 55.0 54.3 52.18-56.48
Other arrangement 2.1 3.7 3.3 3.8 2.7 1.8 2.9 3.3 2.59-4.24
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

See footnotes at end of Table 3k.

Table 3k. Number of wireless-only adults aged 18 years and over in survey sample, by calendar half-years: United States, January 2006-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2006 Jul-Dec 2006 Jan-Jun 20071 Jul-Dec 20071 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009
Number of wireless-only adults in survey sample (unweighted) 2,804 2,878 3,819 3,558 4,939 4,426 5,078 9,401

* Estimate has a relative standard error greater than 30% and does not meet National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards for reliability or precision.

1 Questionnaire changes that occurred in 2007 should be considered when evaluating recent rends in household telephone status. See text for more information about these changes.

2 Refers to the time period July through December 2009.

3 GED is General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma.

4 Based on household income and household size using the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. “Poor” persons are defined as those below the poverty threshold. “Near poor” persons have incomes of 100% to less than 200% of the poverty threshold. “Not poor” persons have incomes of 200% of the poverty threshold or greater. Early Release estimates stratified by poverty status are based on reported income only and may differ from similar estimates produced later that are based on both reported and imputed income. NCHS imputes income when income is unknown, but the imputed income file is not available until a few months after the annual release of National Health Interview Survey microdata. For households with multiple families, household income and household size were calculated as the sum of the multiple measures of family income and family size.

5 In the geographic classification of the U.S. population, states are grouped into the following four regions used by the U.S. Census Bureau. Northeast includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Midwest includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. South includes Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. West includes Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii.

6 For households with multiple families, home ownership status was determined by considering the reported home ownership status for each family. If any family reported owning the home, then the household level variable was classified as “owned or being bought” for all persons living in the household. If one family reported renting the home and another family reported “other arrangement,” then the household level variable was classified as “other arrangement” for all persons living in the household.

DATA SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, January 2006–December 2009. Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

Table 4

Table 4a. Prevalence rates (and 95% confidence intervals) for selected measures of health-related behaviors for adults aged 18 years and over, by household telephone status: United States, July-December 2009
Household telephone status
Health-related behaviors Landline1 Wireless-only No telephone service
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Five or more alcoholic drinks in 1 day at least once in past year2 18.7 (17.75-19.74) 34.5 (32.49-36.58) 24.2 (19.99-29.09)
Current smoker3 18.3 (17.38-19.24) 27.3 (25.53-29.10) 33.2 (27.29-39.65)
Engaged in regular leisure-time physical activity4 32.8 (31.49-34.06) 39.6 (37.65-41.49) 25.0 (20.07-30.75)

See footnotes at end of Table 4e.

Table 4b. Prevalence rates (and 95% confidence intervals) for selected measures of health status for adults aged 18 years and over, by household telephone status: United States, July-December 2009
Household telephone status
Health status Landline1 Wireless-only No telephone service
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Health status described as excellent or very good5 59.3 (58.16-60.34) 65.0 (63.11-66.89) 49.6 (43.32-55.91)
Experienced serious psychological distress in past 30 days6 2.7 (2.41-3.10) 4.6 (3.91-5.38) 6.1 (3.69-9.94)
Obese7 (adults aged 20 years and over) 28.9 (27.93-29.84) 26.4 (24.80-28.03) 31.5 (26.06-37.42)
Asthma episode in the past year8 3.6 (3.30-4.03) 4.5 (3.80-5.26) 4.1 (2.31-7.15)
Ever diagnosed with diabetes9 9.8 (9.27-10.46) 5.5 (4.80-6.25) 4.7 (3.04-7.27)

See footnotes at end of Table 4e.

Table 4c. Prevalence rates (and 95% confidence intervals) for selected measures of health care service use for adults aged 18 years and over, by household telephone status: United States, July-December 2009
Household telephone status
Health care service use Landline1 Wireless-only No telephone service
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Received influenza vaccine during past year10 38.2 (37.08-39.35) 23.2 (21.77-24.59) 20.3 (15.77-25.63)
Ever been tested for HIV11 36.1 (34.86-37.40) 50.6 (48.78-52.49) 44.4 (37.80-51.28)

See footnotes at end of Table 4e.

Table 4d. Prevalence rates (and 95% confidence intervals) for selected measures of health care access for adults aged 18 years and over, by household telephone status: United States, July-December 2009
Household telephone status
Health care access Landline1 Wireless-only No telephone service
Percent (95% confidence interval)
Has a usual place to go for medical care12 86.5 (85.57-87.35) 72.5 (70.71-74.18) 69.1 (62.96-74.56)
Failed to obtain needed medical care in past year due to financial barriers13 7.2 (6.71-7.81) 13.7 (12.45-15.06) 15.8 (12.22-20.29)
Currently uninsured (adults aged 18-64 years)14 13.8 (12.98-14.72) 29.2 (27.29-31.14) 34.4 (28.70-40.66)

See footnotes at end of Table 4e.

Table 4e. Number of adults aged 18 years and over in survey sample, by household telephone status: United States, July-December 2009
Household telephone status
Landline1 Wireless-only No telephone service
Number of adults in survey sample (unweighted) 12,505 4,645 389

1 Includes households that also have wireless telephone service.

2 Defined as the 12 months prior to interview. The analyses excluded adults with unknown alcohol consumption (about 2% of respondents each year).

3 Defined as a person who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes in his or her lifetime and now smokes every day or some days. The analyses excluded persons with unknown smoking status (about 2% of respondents each year).

4 Defined as engaging in light-moderate leisure-time physical activity for greater than or equal to 30 minutes at a frequency greater than or equal to five times per week or engaging in vigorous leisure-time physical activity for greater than or equal to 20 minutes at a frequency greater than or equal to three times per week. Persons who were known to have not met the frequency recommendations are classified as “not regular,” regardless of duration. The analyses excluded persons with unknown physical activity participation (about 3% of respondents each year).

5 Data were obtained by asking respondents to assess their own health and that of family members living in the same household as excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor. The analyses excluded persons with unknown health status (about 0.2% of respondents each year).

6 Six psychological distress questions are included in the National Health Interview Survey. These questions ask how often during the past 30 days a respondent experienced certain symptoms of psychological distress (feeling so sad that nothing could cheer you up, nervous, restless or fidgety, hopeless, worthless, that everything was an effort). The response codes (0–4) of the six items for each person were equally weighted and summed. A value of 13 or more for this scale indicates that at least one symptom was experienced “most of the time” or “all of the time” and is used here to define serious psychological distress.

7 Defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or more. The measure is based on self-reported height and weight. The analyses excluded people with unknown height or weight (about 6% of respondents each year). Estimates of obesity are presented for adults aged 20 years and over because the Healthy People 2010 objectives (http://www.healthypeople.gov) for healthy weight among adults define adults as persons aged 20 and over.

8 Information on an episode of asthma or an asthma attack during the past year is self-reported by adults aged 18 years and over. A year is defined as the 12 months prior to interview. The analyses excluded people with unknown asthma episode status (about 0.1% of respondents each year).

9 Prevalence of diagnosed diabetes is based on self-report of ever having been diagnosed with diabetes by a doctor or other health professional. Persons reporting “borderline” diabetes status and women reporting diabetes only during pregnancy were not coded as having diabetes in the analyses. The analyses excluded persons with unknown diabetes status (about 0.1% of respondents each year).

10 Receipt of flu shots and receipt of nasal spray flu vaccinations were included in the calculation of flu vaccination estimates. Estimates are subject to recall error, which will vary depending on when the question is asked because the receipt of a flu vaccination is seasonal. The analyses excluded those with unknown flu vaccination status (about 3% of respondents each year).

11 Individuals who received human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing solely as a result of blood donation were considered not to have been tested for HIV. The analyses excluded those with unknown HIV test status (about 5% of respondents each year).

12 The usual place to go for medical care does not include a hospital emergency room. The analyses excluded persons with an unknown usual place to go for medical care (about 1.5% of respondents each year).

13 A year is defined as the 12 months prior to interview. The analyses excluded persons with unknown responses to the question on failure to obtain needed medical care due to cost (about 0.2% of respondents each year).

14 A person was defined as uninsured if he or she did not have any private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), state-sponsored or other government-sponsored health plan, or military plan at the time of the interview. A person was also defined as uninsured if he or she had only Indian Health Service coverage or had only a private plan that paid for one type of service, such as accidents or dental care. The data on health insurance status were edited using an automated system based on logic checks and keyword searches. The analyses excluded persons with unknown health insurance status (about 1% of respondents each year).

DATA SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, July–December 2009. Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

Table 5

Table 5a. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Percent2
Total 12.6 14.0 14.4 15.4 16.2 16.3 15.69-17.03

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5b. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by race/ethnicity and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Race/ethnicity Percent2
Hispanic or Latino, any race(s) 13.2 14.5 16.0 15.9 18.0 16.9 15.50-18.36
Non-Hispanic white, single race 12.3 13.2 14.2 14.9 15.6 16.1 15.24-16.99
Non-Hispanic black, single race 11.9 15.1 13.3 14.7 15.0 16.2 14.65-17.89
Non-Hispanic Asian, single race 16.0 20.3 16.4 20.3 19.6 18.5 16.20-20.98
Non-Hispanic other, single race 14.6 *8.6 *10.1 15.5 22.9 *16.1 8.28-28.82
Non-Hispanic multiple race 14.6 19.7 17.7 24.2 22.5 18.2 13.80-23.67

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5c. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by age and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Age Percent2
18-24 years 17.3 18.2 19.2 18.8 20.0 19.9 18.23-21.71
25-29 years 17.2 19.7 17.3 18.3 17.7 16.4 14.97-17.99
30-44 years 15.5 17.3 18.2 19.0 20.3 19.5 18.46-20.54
45-64 years 11.5 13.0 13.8 15.4 16.5 17.5 16.56-18.44
65 years and over 3.4 3.9 4.4 4.9 5.3 6.3 5.55-7.09

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5d. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by sex and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Sex Percent2
Male 13.2 14.3 14.9 15.4 16.2 16.5 15.78-17.28
Female 12.0 13.6 14.0 15.2 16.1 16.2 15.50-16.91

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5e. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by education and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Education Percent2
Some high school or less 8.0 8.7 10.0 9.8 12.1 11.5 10.40-12.73
High school graduate or GED3 10.6 12.7 12.5 13.2 13.7 14.2 13.23-15.25
Some post-high school, no degree 15.7 16.6 17.0 18.6 17.7 18.1 16.99-19.19
4-year college degree or higher 14.9 16.2 17.1 18.0 19.7 19.7 18.67-20.78

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5f. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by employment status last week and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Employment status last week Percent2
Working at a job or business 15.5 16.8 17.3 18.4 19.5 19.7 18.92-20.59
Keeping house 9.3 10.4 11.9 11.9 12.7 15.1 13.50-16.90
Going to school 17.2 20.4 25.2 21.5 21.1 21.7 18.72-24.95
Something else (incl. unemployed) 5.3 6.7 6.6 7.8 9.0 9.0 8.29-9.74

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5g. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by household structure and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Household structure Percent2
Adult living alone 10.8 10.7 10.1 12.2 10.0 10.6 9.67-11.65
Unrelated adults, no children 13.9 20.1 *15.4 21.3 13.9 15.5 10.02-23.10
Related adults, no children 11.6 12.1 12.8 13.2 14.7 15.0 14.00-16.11
Adult(s) with children 14.4 17.2 18.1 19.2 20.5 20.2 19.05-21.47

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5h. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by household poverty status and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Household poverty status4 Percent2
Poor 8.4 8.6 10.8 9.5 11.0 10.0 8.51-11.76
Near poor 9.7 11.4 10.3 11.3 12.0 12.7 11.36-14.11
Not poor 14.8 15.9 17.1 18.2 18.8 19.2 18.31-20.14

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5i. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by geographic region and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Geographic region5 Percent2
Northeast 11.3 11.7 13.8 12.0 15.3 14.9 13.41-16.56
Midwest 10.6 13.3 12.6 13.2 14.6 14.7 13.35-16.20
South 13.8 14.3 14.6 16.2 16.7 17.3 16.15-18.48
West 13.7 15.9 16.4 18.7 17.7 17.7 16.40-19.05

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5j. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by metropolitan statistical area status and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Metropolitan statistical area status Percent2
Metropolitan 13.2 14.7 15.0 15.8 16.9 16.8 16.14-17.57
Not metropolitan 10.2 10.9 12.1 13.4 13.5 14.5 12.97-16.11

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5k. Percentage of adults aged 18 years and over living in wireless-mostly households, by home ownership status and by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007–December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009 95% confidence interval1
Home ownership status6 Percent2
Owned or being bought 12.1 14.0 14.7 15.9 17.2 17.5 16.63-18.46
Renting 13.9 13.8 13.9 13.0 13.9 13.6 12.63-14.70
Other arrangement 12.2 14.1 14.8 24.6 13.8 15.8 11.47-21.40

See footnotes at end of Table 5l.

Table 5l. Number of adults aged 18 years and over in survey sample who live in landline households with wireless telephones, by calendar half-years: United States, January 2007-December 2009
Calendar half-year
Jan-Jun 2007 Jul-Dec 2007 Jan-Jun 2008 Jul-Dec 2008 Jan-Jun 2009 Jul-Dec 2009
Number of adults in survey sample who live in landline households with wireless telephones (unweighted) 18,631 15,356 18,664 14,816 14,886 24,904

* Estimate has a relative standard error greater than 30% and does not meet National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards for reliability.

1 Refers to the estimate of the percentage of adults living in wireless-mostly households for the time period July through December 2009.

2 The sum of the percentage of adults in households that receive all or nearly all calls on wireless phones (shown here) and the percentage of adults in households that receive some or very few calls on wireless phones (data not shown) is equal to the percentage of adults living in landline households with wireless telephones (see Table 1).

3 GED is General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma.

4 Based on household income and household size using the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. “Poor” persons are defined as those below the poverty threshold. “Near poor” persons have incomes of 100% to less than 200% of the poverty threshold. “Not poor” persons have incomes of 200% of the poverty threshold or greater. Early Release estimates stratified by poverty status are based on reported income only and may differ from similar estimates produced later that are based on both reported and imputed income. NCHS imputes income when income is unknown, but the imputed income file is not available until a few months after the annual release of National Health Interview Survey microdata. For households with multiple families, household income and household size were calculated as the sum of the multiple measures of family income and family size.

5 In the geographic classification of the U.S. population, states are grouped into the following four regions used by the U.S. Census Bureau. Northeast includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Midwest includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. South includes Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. West includes Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii.

6 For households with multiple families, home ownership status was determined by considering the reported home ownership status for each family. If any family reported owning the home, then the household level variable was classified as “owned or being bought” for all persons living in the household. If one family reported renting the home and another family reported “other arrangement,” then the household level variable was classified as “other arrangement” for all persons living in the household.

DATA SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, January 2007–December 2009. Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population.

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