The age you’re most likely to end up in a doctor’s office isn’t when you’re young and dumb or when you’re old and wise.
That’s when you’re reaching retirement age, between 55 and 64, according to new data from the CDC.
The rate of visits by these Americans to health clinics was 418 per 1,000 people in that age group.
Aside from age, not being married also poses a risk for increased doctor’s appointments: 48 percent of visits were made by single people, compared to 38 percent of those who were married.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of doctor visits were for illnesses, including high blood pressure, digestive conditions and diabetes, a symptom of America’s chronic disease epidemic.
More women than men visited health clinics in 2022, at a rate of 445 per 1,000 women
In total, in 2022 there were 89.5 million visits to health clinics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report based on the Health Center Component of the 2022 National Ambulatory Health Care Survey.
This represents an increase from the previous year’s estimated 82.3 million visits.
The agency analyzed data from health clinics, community health care centers that offer access to primary care to underserved communities.
The clinics receive federal funding and provide a wide range of services, including medical, vision and dental care, prenatal care, immunizations and cancer screenings.
The report shows that in 2022, patients aged 18 to 44 accounted for the highest percentage of visits to health clinics for any reason (43 percent) and those in that age group who were not married accounted for two-thirds of all visits.
Previous research examined this discrepancy and found an association between marital status and health outcomes.
A 2019 study found that people who were married were less likely to have an inpatient or nursing facility stay in the past year.
The researchers posited that married people have better health because they are more likely to have higher incomes and private health insurance, as well as have a stronger support and assistance system to keep up with appointments and their overall health.
Clinic visit rates were highest among people ages 55 to 64, with 418 visits per 1,000 people in that age group.
Visits may be higher among this group because people ages 45 to 64 receive the majority of new diabetes diagnoses in the U.S., according to the CDC, which overlaps with people ages 55 to 64 included in the most recent CDC report.
And 36 percent of 2022 visits were for endocrine and metabolic diseases (including diabetes) among this age group, the most of any age group included in the analysis.
These near-retirees also had the second highest percentage (26 percent) of visits due to diseases of the circulatory system, including high blood pressure.
Behind them were Americans ages 45 to 54, who had a visit rate of 398 per 1,000. They were followed by people aged 18 to 44, who visited health clinics at a rate of 325 per 1,000 people.
And surprisingly, people 65 and older had the lowest rate of health center visits: 316 per 1,000 people.
But this age group saw the largest increase in visits between 2010 and 2020: a 147 percent increase over the decade, which could be the result of an increasingly aging population.
And women were more likely than men to visit the doctor: 445 per 1,000 women compared to 249 per 1,000 men.
The majority of clinic visits were disease-related, meaning people were seeking care for chronic conditions such as those of the digestive or respiratory system or musculoskeletal diseases.
This accounted for 61 percent of visits.
Among disease-related visits, the majority (29 percent) were for endocrine and metabolic conditions, such as diabetes, which affects 38 million Americans.
The second most important reason for visits was “factors influencing health status and contact with health services”, at 42 percent.
Reasons within this category include routine vaccinations and exams, follow-up doctor appointments, screening for illness, blood type, reproductive services, and visits not related to a current symptom, injury, or illness.
Mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders accounted for 22 percent (the fourth highest) of visits.
These rates decreased with age, from 24.5 percent of visits for adults ages 18 to 44 to 15 percent for adults ages 65 and older.
However, hypertension or high blood pressure increased with age. Among people ages 18 to 44 it accounted for 6.5 percent of visits, compared to 33 percent among people ages 65 and older.
The CDC said screening and examinations were common reasons for visiting health centers, as data has shown that screening rates for cancer, diabetes, smoking, HIV and depression have increased.