Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in United States of America
United States of America: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 0.3% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in United States of America, 2003–2022
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
United States of America recorded 0.3% for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
That represents a change of down 57.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in United States of America peaked at 1.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2020.
United States of America ranks 112th of 134 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1.0% | — |
| 2004 | 0.8% | -20.0% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | +25.0% |
| 2006 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | -20.0% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | -25.0% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | +16.7% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | +14.3% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | -12.5% |
| 2016 | 0.6% | -14.3% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | -50.0% |
| 2021 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
United States of America compared with similar countries
- United States of America's 0.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.4%, 75% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.9% | 0.8% | 1.0% | 7 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More population data for United States of America
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.8 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0241 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 375,392 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4762 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1565 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Population density 46.05 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 19.91 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in United States of America?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in United States of America was 0.3% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2020.
- How does United States of America rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- United States of America ranks 112th out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.