MEPS 2016–2018 pooled data | |||
Prevalence | |||
Definition | Prevalence per 100 000 adults (95% CI) | Estimated average annual no. of adults with SLE | |
Self-reported SLE and SLE-related medication or rheumatologist visit (primary definition) | 195 (149 to 242) | 490 385 | |
Self-reported SLE and SLE-related medication | 168 (130 to 206) | 422 604 | |
SLE self-reported diagnosis only | 261 (203 to 319) | 655 547 | |
Demographics | |||
SLE | Non-SLE | P value | |
Total weighted, N | 490 385 | 2 625 426 | |
Age (years) | |||
Mean (SD) | 49 (1.4) | 50 (0.7) | NS† |
Median | 48.8 | 51.7 | |
Gender, % | NS† | ||
Male | 9.2 | 5.6 | |
Female | 90.8 | 94.4 | |
Geographic region, % | NS† | ||
Northeast | 16.0 | 16.3 | |
Midwest | 21.7 | 22.1 | |
South | 46.6 | 41.6 | |
West | 15.7 | 19.9 | |
Insurance, % | |||
Private | 59.6 | 72.1 | * |
TRICARE/Civilian Health and Medical Programme of the Department of Veterans Affairs | 3.5 | 4.1 | NS |
Medicare | 31.6 | 19.4 | ** |
Medicaid/State’s Children’s Health Insurance Programme | 28.3 | 15.0 | ** |
Both Medicare and Medicaid | 9.0 | 3.1 | ** |
Uninsured | 4.8 | 6.2 | NS |
Health insurance coverage indicator, % | *** | ||
Any private | 60.0 | 75.6 | |
Public only | 35.2 | 18.3 | |
Uninsured | 4.8 | 6.2 | |
Race, % | NS | ||
White—no other race reported | 74.3 | 76.8 | |
Black—no other race reported | 18.2 | 13.3 | |
Other race (only single-race answers were reported) | 2.9 | 6.5 | |
Multiple races reported | 4.6 | 3.3 | |
Physician visits, % | |||
Rheumatologist was seen during the calendar year | 68.8 | 2.6 | *** |
General practitioner was seen during the calendar year | 40.7 | 33.5 | NS |
Other type of physician was seen during the calendar year | 89.5 | 66.6 | *** |
Socioeconomic status | |||
Education level completed, % | NS | ||
≤Grade 12 | 33.3 | 35.0 | |
1–2 years college | 19.8 | 24.1 | |
3–4 years college | 28.2 | 25.9 | |
5+ years college | 18.7 | 14.5 | |
Unknown | 0.0 | 0.5 | |
Family income, US$ | * | ||
Mean (SD) | US$71 507 (US$7643) | US$88 270 (US$2715) | |
Median | US$46 925 | US$70 624 | |
Employment, % | ** | ||
Employed at interview date | 47.4 | 65.8 | |
Job to return to at interview date | 2.6 | 0.5 | |
Not employed at interview date | 49.9 | 33.6 | |
Unknown | 0.0 | 0.1 | |
Unemployed reason, % | N/A | ||
Retired | 9.1 | 9.0 | |
Unable to work ill/disabled | 17.2 | 5.9 | |
Taking care of home/family | 3.2 | 3.8 | |
Other | 1.5 | 2.0 | |
Unknown | 69.0 | 79.4 | |
Food stamps, % | *** | ||
Yes | 20.5 | 8.6 | |
No | 78.3 | 89.3 | |
Unknown | 1.2 | 2.1 | |
Problem paying bills, % | ** | ||
Yes | 23.6 | 12.0 | |
No | 75.6 | 87.5 | |
Unknown | 0.8 | 0.5 | |
Poverty status, % | ** | ||
Negative or poor | 22.2 | 9.2 | |
Near-poor | 3.3 | 3.8 | |
Low income | 10.6 | 10.3 | |
Middle income | 25.9 | 25.8 | |
High income | 38.1 | 50.9 |
*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001.
†Non-SLE respondents were matched to SLE respondents based on age, gender and geographic region.
MEPS, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey; N/A, not available; NS, not significant.