Gaps in Care Among Adolescents and Young Adults in The United States.

Introduction: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) face several challenges to their wellbeing as they move into adulthood and assume a larger role in navigating their health, health care, and health insurance. This study examines gaps in care that may result in missed opportunities for health promotion and maintenance, early intervention, and acute and chronic care management.

Methods: This study used the 2022-2023 National Health Interview Survey data of individuals 10-25 years old to understand which AYA age groups (10-14, 15-18, and 19-25 years) experience gaps in care and which sociodemographic, health status, and health care access variables are associated with increased odds of care gaps. The analysis was conducted in 2025.

Results: More than 1 in 4 young adults (YAs) experienced a gap in care of 1 or more years, a rate twice that of adolescents. Measures of health care access-namely, being uninsured and without a usual source of care-were predictive of gaps in care across all 3 age groups. The sociodemographic factors of citizenship, region, and poverty level were also associated with care gaps across all 3 age groups.

Conclusions: Policymakers, payers, public agencies, and health care providers can play an important role in AYA health. There should be increased attention to identifying and assisting AYAs with (and at risk for) lapses in coverage and care, prioritizing those without a medical home, transitioning from pediatric to adult care, losing childhood Medicaid or CHIP eligibility status, and residing in states not expanding Medicaid.