Impact of sociodemographic factors on the relationship between perceived general health and the number of healthcare visits

This retrospective cross-sectional study examines the relationship between the number of healthcare visits, perceived health status, and sociodemographic characteristics. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2017-2018, the study analyzed responses from 4,755 participants aged 20-80. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between healthcare visits and perceived health status while controlling for sociodemographic factors. The results revealed that increased healthcare visits were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of reporting good or better health status. This association remained significant even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. However, gender was not found to be a significant predictor of perceived health status. Other sociodemographic factors, including age, race, education, marital status, and annual household income, were all significant predictors in the model. Furthermore, the study identified racial disparities in perceived health, with Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Black individuals reporting lower rates of good or better health than Non-Hispanic White individuals. Higher levels of education were associated with better-perceived health, highlighting the importance of health literacy in healthcare access. Additionally, income was found to mediate the relationship between healthcare visits and perceived health status, with individuals of higher income more likely to perceive their health as better.