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American Indian and Alaska Native Population Figures Used by the Indian Health
Service (WPD - 18KB)
The Indian Health Service (IHS) uses two types
of population figures in its various activities -- IHS service population and
IHS user population. This statistical note defines these two types of population
figures, describes how they are calculated, identifies their limitations, and
indicates for what purposes they are used.
Computation of Median Age of a Population from Grouped Data (WPD - 16KB)
Area
Program Data Review Protocol (WPD - 37KB)
Indian Health Service (IHS) Headquarters initiated
Area Program Data Reviews in FY 1992. Other Headquarters reviews (e.g., the Office
of Health Programs' general Program Reviews and its more specific subject matter
reviews such as the Medical Records Reviews and Contract Health Services Reviews)
do cover various aspects of the IHS patient care information systems. However,
no other Headquarters review provides a comprehensive and in-depth look at these
information systems involving all the parties that have a role.
Problems
in Calculating Rates for a Small Number of Events (WPD - 12KB)
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is comprised of
regional administrative units called Area Offices. The Area Offices are divided
into basic administrative units called service units. The size of the service
units varies considerably from a portion of a county and a population under 1,000
to multiple counties with a combined population of over 80,000. It is often necessary
to conduct planning activities at the service unit level and sometimes for smaller
geographic areas. This requires calculating morbidity and vital event rates at
these levels. As a result, the number of events involved may be quite small.
The purpose of this statistical note is to describe the problems in calculating
rates for a small number of events and suggest ways of overcoming those problems.
Comparing
the Health Status of Populations with Different Age Distributions (WPD -
18KB)
The American Indian and Alaska Native population
is considerably younger than the U.S. All Races population. This needs to be
taken into account when comparing the health status of Indians, in particular,
those residing in the IHS service area, with that of the general population.
Since most health conditions prevail at different rates for different age groups
(e.g., the prevalence of malignant neoplasms increases with age), it is necessary
to make adjustments to achieve an unbiased comparison of morbidity and mortality
rates between populations with considerably different age compositions. Crude
rates do not take into account this age variation which exists between population
groups. According to the 1990 Census, the median age of Indians residing in the
IHS service area was 24.2 years, which is 8.7 years less than the figure for
the general U.S. population (32.9). This statistical note discusses various ways
of compensating for age differences between populations.
Sampling
Guidelines and Procedures (WPD - 20KB)
It is frequently necessary to gather information
needed for decision-making purposes on a sampling basis. For example, a health
care administrator may wish to determine the level of patient satisfaction with
the services provided at a facility. Or, an Area planner/statistician may need
to verify what proportion of the registered patients living in a service unit
are active users. In such cases, it is not necessary or, in most cases, even
feasible to interview every patient or review every patient chart. By appropriately
designing and implementing a sample survey, the required information can be gathered
with statistical confidence. This statistical note provides guidelines and procedures
for designing and implementing a basic survey.
Guidelines
for Tracking the Indian Health Objectives (WPD - 79KB)
Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion
and Disease Prevention Objectives (HP 2000) is
a prevention initiative that embodies a national strategy for significantly improving
the health of the American people in the decade preceding the year 2000. In addition
to objectives for the general population, sub objectives are also specified for
minorities and other special populations to meet the unique needs and health
problems of these populations. Thirty-one sub objectives have been established
for the American Indian and Alaska Native population. Since HP 2000 is national
in scope, the Indian-specific sub objectives pertain for the most part to all
U.S. Indians.
Concepts
of Urban and Rural and Other Geographic Entities (WPD - 35KB)
There is often confusion regarding how many American
Indians and Alaska Natives live in urban versus rural areas. It is often assumed
that if a person lives on or near an Indian reservation, then that person resides
in a rural area. This is not necessarily the case. For example, Indians living
in the urban setting of Tucson, Arizona reside in Pima County near the reservations
of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona and the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.
They are residents of an urban area and also of the Indian Health Service (IHS)
service area since Pima County is part of a contract health service delivery
area. Much of the confusion concerning urban and rural stems from a misunderstanding
of what these concepts mean. The purpose of this statistical note is to clarify
the concepts of urban and rural and other geographic entities as they relate
to the IHS and the American Indian and Alaska Native population.
Guidelines
for Tracking the IHS FY 1999 Performance Plan Indicators (WPD - 40KB)
The Indian Health Service (IHS) submitted its
FY 1999 Performance Plan to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
in September 1997 and then submitted a revised plan in January 1998. This plan
is in compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The
plan includes 25 performance indicators/objectives which were developed by IHS
in partnership with Tribes and Urban Projects (I/T/U).
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This file last modified: Monday June 9, 2008 12:19 PM |