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America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008

Appendix B: Data Source Descriptions

Air Quality System

The Air Quality System (AQS) contains ambient air pollution data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency, State, local, and tribal air pollution control agencies. Data on criteria pollutants consist of air quality measurements collected by sensitive equipment at thousands of monitoring stations located across all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each monitor measures the concentration of a particular pollutant in the air. Monitoring data indicate the average pollutant concentration during a specified time interval, usually 1 hour or 24 hours. AQS also contains meteorological data, descriptive information about each monitoring station (including its geographic location and its operator), and data quality assurance/quality control information. The system is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), Information Transfer and Program Integration Division (ITPID), located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Information on the AQS is available online at http://www.epa.gov/air/data/aqsdb.html.

Agency Contact:
David Mintz
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Phone: (919) 541-5224

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American Community Survey

The American Community Survey is an annual nationwide survey that will replace the decennial long form in future censuses. The objective of the American Community Survey is to provide data users with timely housing, social, and economic data updated every year that can be compared across states, communities, and population groups.

The American Community Survey has been implemented in three parts: (1) Demonstration period, 1996-1998, beginning at 4 sites; (2) Comparison site period, 1999-2004, comparing 31 sites continuously over this period as well as adding other counties to the survey in preparation for full implementation; and (3) Full implementation nationwide in 2005. (Sampling of group quarters will be added in 2006.)

Starting in January 2005, the Census Bureau is implementing the American Community Survey in every county of the United States with an annual sample of 3 million housing units. Once the survey is in full operation, American Community Survey data will be available every year for areas and population groups of 65,000 or more.

For small areas and population groups of 20,000 or less, it will take 5 years to accumulate a large enough sample to provide estimates with accuracy similar to the decennial census. Each month, a systematic sample of addresses will be selected from the most current Master Address File (MAF). The sample will represent the entire United States. Data are collected by mail, and sample addresses that do not respond by mail may be contacted using the follow-up procedures CATI, CAPI, or both.

Information about the American Community Survey is available online at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/index.html.

Agency Contact:
Tavia Simmons
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-2416

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American Housing Survey

This survey provides data necessary for evaluating progress toward "a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family," affirmed in 1949 and 1968 legislation. The data come from a U.S. Census Bureau nationwide sample survey in odd numbered years for national, regional, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan data and from surveys in 47 metropolitan statistical areas over a multi-year cycle. These data detail the types, size, conditions, characteristics, costs and values, equipment, utilities, and dynamics of the housing inventory; describe the demographic, financial, and mobility characteristics of the occupants; and give some information on neighborhood conditions. In 1997, the survey was conducted using computer-assisted personal interviewing for the first time, and questions on rental assistance and physical problems were also changed. Therefore, data since 1997 on assisted families, priority problems, and severe physical problems are not comparable with earlier data.

Information about the American Housing Survey is available online at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/ahs.html.

Agency Contact:
Barry Steffen
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Phone: (202) 402-5926

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Current Population Survey

Core survey and supplements. The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a nationwide survey of about 60,000 households conducted monthly for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau. It represents the civilian noninstitutionalized population nationally and for every State and the District of Columbia.

The CPS core survey is the primary source of information on the employment characteristics of the noninstitutionalized civilian population, ages 15 and older, including estimates of unemployment released every month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In addition to the core survey, monthly CPS supplements provide additional demographic and social data. The Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC)-formerly called the March Supplement-and the October school enrollment supplement provide information used to estimate the status and well-being of children. The ASEC and October supplement have been administered every year since 1947. Every year, the October supplement to the CPS asks questions on school enrollment by grade and other school characteristics about each member of the household ages 3 and older. In this report, data on poverty status, health insurance, and the highest level of school completed or degree attained are derived from the ASEC. The food security supplement, introduced in April 1995 and administered in December since 2001, is described in detail below.

The CPS sample is selected from a complete address list of geographically delineated primary sampling units based on census addresses updated using recent construction and other data. It is administered through field representatives, either in-person or by telephone using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). Some CPS data is also collected through a centralized telephone operation (CATI). For more information regarding the CPS, its sampling structure, and estimation methodology, see Current Population Survey Design and Methodology Technical Paper 66, Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 2006, available at http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/tp-66.pdf.

Effective with the release of July 2001 data, official labor force estimates from the CPS reflect the expansion of the monthly CPS sample from about 50,000 to about 60,000 eligible households. This expansion of the monthly CPS sample was one part of the Census Bureau's plan to meet the requirements of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) legislation. The SCHIP legislation requires the Census Bureau to improve state estimates of the number of children who live in low-income families and lack health insurance. These estimates are obtained from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the CPS. The ASEC reflects interviews based on a sample of about 100,000 households. The ASEC (formerly the March Supplement) now includes data from February, March, and April. In September 2000, the Census Bureau began expanding the monthly CPS sample in 31 states and the District of Columbia. States were identified for sample supplementation based on the standard error of their March estimate of low-income children without health insurance.

Food security supplement. The food security supplement collects information on households' economic access to enough food, food spending, and use of Federal and community food assistance programs. The survey contains a systematic set of questions validated as measures of severity of food insecurity on both a 12-month and a 30-day basis. Statistics presented in this report are based on 12-month data from the CPS food security supplements. The food security questions are based on material reported in prior research on hunger and food security and reflect the consensus of nearly 100 experts at the 1994 Food Security and Measurement Conference convened jointly by the National Center for Health Statistics and the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The supplement was developed, tested, and refined further by the conferees, members of a Federal interagency working group, and survey methods specialists for the U.S. Census Bureau's Center for Survey Methods Research. All households interviewed in the CPS in December are eligible for the supplement. Special supplement sample weights were computed to adjust for the demographic characteristics of supplement noninterviews.

Economic Research Service, Food Security Briefing Room: http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodsecurity.

Information about the CPS is available online at http://www.census.gov/cps.

Agency Contacts:
For information on food security:
Mark Nord
Economic Research Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
E-mail: marknord@ers.usda.gov

For information on family structure:
Fertility and Family Statistics Branch
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-2416

For information on secure parental employment, family income, and youth neither enrolled in school nor working:
Teri Morisi
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Phone: (202) 691-6378

For information on poverty, family income, and access to health care:
HHES/Statistical Information Staff
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-3242

For information on higher education:
Tom Snyder
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7452
E-mail: Tom.Snyder@ed.gov

For information on difficulty speaking English:
Kelly Holder
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-2464

For information on high school completion:
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7414
E-mail: Chris.Chapman@ed.gov

For information on early childhood education:
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7414
E-mail: Chris.Chapman@ed.gov

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Decennial Census Data

Every 10 years, beginning with the first census in 1790, the United States government conducts a census, or count, of the entire population as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. In 2000, as in several previous censuses, two forms were used-a short form and a long form. The short form was sent to every household; the long form, containing the 100 percent questions, plus the sample questions, was sent to approximately one in every six households.

The Census 2000 short form questionnaire included seven questions for each household: name, sex, age, relationship, Hispanic origin, race, and whether the housing unit was owned or rented. The long form asked more detailed information on subjects such as education, employment, income, ancestry, homeowner costs, units in a structure, number of rooms, plumbing facilities, etc. Decennial censuses not only count the population but also sample the socioeconomic status of the population, providing a tool for the government, educators, business owners, and others to get a snapshot of the state of the Nation. A more comprehensive description of Census 2000 is available at http://www.census.gov/mso/www/c2000basics.

While it is impossible to completely eliminate error from an operation as large and complex as the decennial census, the Census Bureau attempts to control the sources of such error during the data collection and processing operations. The primary sources of error and the programs instituted to control error in Census 2000 are described in detail in Summary File 1 Technical Documentation in Chapter 8, "Accuracy of the Data," located at http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf1.pdf.

Agency Contacts:
For information on the indicators:
Tavia Simmons
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-2416

For further information on the computation and use of standard errors:
Decennial Statistical Studies Division
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-4242

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Monitoring the Future

The Monitoring the Future (MTF) Study is a continuing series of surveys intended to assess the changing lifestyles, values, and preferences of American youth. Each year since 1975, high school seniors from a representative sample of public and private high schools have participated in this study. The 2004 survey is the 14th to include comparable samples of 8th- and 10th-graders in addition to seniors. The study is conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research (ISR) under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The survey design consists of a multi-stage random sample where the stages include selection of geographic areas, selection of one or more schools in each selected area, and selection of a sample of students within each school. Data are collected in the spring of each year using questionnaires administered in the classroom by representatives from ISR. The 2004 survey included 15,222 high school seniors from 128 schools, 16,839 10th-graders from 131 schools, and 17,413 8th-graders from 147 schools (a total of 49,474 students from 406 schools).

Information about MTF is available online at http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/MTF.html and http://monitoringthefuture.org/.

Agency Contact:
Moira O'Brien
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Phone: (301) 443-6637

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National Assessment of Educational Progress

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is mandated by Congress to monitor continuously the knowledge, skills, and performance of the Nation's children and youth. To measure trends in educational performance, NAEP has periodically assessed students in grades 4, 8, and 12 since 1990 in reading and mathematics, as well as in other subjects such as science, writing, and U.S. history. The assessments use the curriculum frameworks developed by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) and the latest advances in assessment methodology. The frameworks use standards developed within the field, using a consensus process involving educators, subject-matter experts, and other interested citizens.

The content and nature of the main NAEP evolves periodically to reflect changes in curriculum and instructional practices. NAEP includes students in public and nonpublic schools. A charter school could be sampled, since such schools are within the universe of public schools, but homeschoolers are not included. Before 2002, the NAEP national sample was an independently selected national sample. However, beginning in 2002, the NAEP national sample was obtained by aggregating the samples from each state. As a result, the size of the national sample increased in 2002, which means that smaller differences between estimates from different administrations and different types of students can now be found to be statistically significant than could be detected in assessment results reported before 2002.

Until 1996, NAEP assessments excluded certain subgroups of students identified as "special needs students," including students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency. For the 1996 and 2000 mathematics assessments and the 1998 and 2000 reading assessments, NAEP included separate assessments with provisions for accommodating these students (e.g., extended time, small group testing, and mathematics questions read aloud, and so on). For these years, results are reported for both the unaccommodated and accommodated assessments. After 2000, only a single accommodated assessment was administered.

NAEP has also conducted assessments in mathematics, reading, and science since the 1970s at ages 9, 13, and 17. These long-term assessments have not changed, providing a comparison over a long period of time, but they do not necessarily reflect current teaching standards or curricula.

Information about NAEP is available online at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.

Agency Contact:
Arnold Goldstein
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7344
E-mail: Arnold.Goldstein@ed.gov

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National Assessment of Educational Progress High School Transcript Studies

Conducted in association with NAEP, the High School Transcript Study (HSTS) provides coursetaking and demographic information for a nationally representative, stratified sample of high school seniors. Sample sizes have ranged from approximately 21,000 to 25,000 students in approximately 300 schools. The HSTS provides the Department of Education and other education policymakers with information regarding current course offerings and coursetaking patterns in the Nation's secondary schools. In addition, it provides information on the relationship of student coursetaking patterns to achievement as measured by NAEP. Excluded students were those who did not graduate from high school, had not received a "regular" or "honors" diploma, or did not have complete transcript data. For all transcripts and samples, a course identification code number, based on the Classification of Secondary School Courses (CSSC), was assigned to each course taken by a student. Courses were further classified into subject (e.g., mathematics) and program (e.g., academic) areas using a 1998 revision of the CSSC (Bradby, D. and Hoachlander, E.G. [1999]. 1998 Revision of the secondary school taxonomy. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics).

More information about the NAEP HSTS can be found in: U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. The 1998 High School Transcript Study Tabulation: Comparative data on credits earned and demographics for 1998, 1994, 1990, 1987, and 1982 high school graduates, (NCES 2001-498) by Stephen Roey, Nancy Caldwell, Keith Rust, Eyal Blumstein, Tom Krenzke, Stan Legum, Judy Kuhn, Mark Waksberg, and Jacqueline Haynes.

Information about the NAEP High School Transcript Study is available online at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/hsts.

Agency Contact:
Janis Brown
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7482
E-mail: Janis.Brown@ed.gov

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National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System

The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) annually collects case-level data on reports alleging child abuse and neglect, and the results of these reports, from State child protective services (CPS) agencies. The mandate for NCANDS is based on the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), as amended in 1988, which directed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a national data collection and analysis program that would make available State child abuse and neglect reporting information. HHS responded by establishing the NCANDS as a voluntary, national reporting system. In 1992, HHS produced its first NCANDS report based on data from 1990. The annual data report Child Maltreatment evolved from that initial report.

During the early years, States provided aggregated data on key indicators of reporting of alleged child maltreatment. Starting with the 1993 data year, States voluntarily began to submit case-level data. For a number of years, States provided both data sets, but starting with data year 2000, the case-level data set became the primary source of data for the annual report. In 1996, CAPTA was amended to require all States that receive funds from the Basic State Grant program to work with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide specific data, to the extent practicable, on children who had been maltreated. The NCANDS data elements were revised to meet these requirements beginning with the submission of 1998 data.

States that submit case-level data construct a child-specific record for each report of alleged child abuse or neglect that received a disposition as a result of an investigation or an assessment during the reporting period. The reporting period for 2004 was from October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2004. The case-level data are reported in the Child File. Data fields include the demographics of the children and their perpetrators, types of maltreatment, investigation or assessment dispositions, risk factors, and services provided as a result of the investigation or assessment. In 2004, forty-five States submitted the Child File; almost all of them also reported aggregate-level data in the Agency File for items that were not obtainable at the child level, such as the number of CPS workers. Five States reported only aggregate statistics on key indicators; four of these States are in the process of developing the Child File.

The count of child victims is based on the number of investigations that found a child to be a victim of one or more types of maltreatment. The count of victims is, therefore, a report-based count and is a "duplicated count," since an individual child may have been the subject of a report more than once. Children are considered to be "victims of maltreatment" if the allegation is either "substantiated" or "indicated" by the investigation process. Substantiation is a case determination that concludes that the allegation of maltreatment or risk of maltreatment is supported by State law or policy. "Indicated" is a case determination that concludes that maltreatment cannot be substantiated by State law or policy, but there is reason to suspect that the child may have been maltreated or was at risk of maltreatment.

Data collected by NCANDS are a critical source of information for many publications, reports, and activities of the Federal Government and other groups. An annual report on child welfare outcomes includes context and outcome data on safety, based on State submissions to NCANDS. NCANDS data have been incorporated into the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR), which ensures conformity with State plan requirements in titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act. The NCANDS data also are used in the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART), which is "a systematic method of assessing the performance of program activities across the Federal government." Children's Bureau programs funded under the CAPTA Basic State Grant and the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) State Grants use data from NCANDS as a component of their PART assessments.

Rates are based on the number of States submitting data to National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) each year; States include the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The overall rate of maltreatment is based on the following number of States for each year: 51 in 1998, 50 in 1999, 50 in 2000, 51 in 2001, 51 in 2002, 51 in 2003, 50 in 2004, and 52 in 2005. The number of States reporting on sex for the years of 2000–2005 was 50 in 2000, 51 in 2001, 51 in 2002, 51 in 2003, 50 in 2004, and 51 in 2005. The number of States reporting on race and Hispanic origin for the years 2000–2005 was 48 in 2000, 49 in 2001, 50 in 2002, 50 in 2003, 49 in 2004, and 50 in 2005. The number of States reporting on age for the years of 2000–2005 was 50 in 2000, 51 in 2001, 51 in 2002, 51 in 2003, 50 in 2004, and 51 in 2005. Rates from 1998–1999 are based on aggregated data submitted by States; rates from 2000–2005 are based on case-level data submitted by the States.

Information about NCANDS is available on-line at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/index.htm#ncands.

Agency Contact:
John A. Gaudiosi
Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth, and Families Children's Bureau
Phone: (202) 205-8625
E-mail: john.gaudiosi@acf.hhs.gov

National Crime Victimization Survey

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is the Nation's primary source of information on criminal victimization. In earlier years, researchers obtained data from interviews with a nationally representative sample of roughly 49,000 households that included more than 100,000 persons ages 12 and older. In recent years, the sample size for the NCVS has been decreased. The sample for the most recent year, 2003, was 42,000 households and 75,000 persons ages 12 and older. All household members 12 and older in households chosen using a multistage stratified sample design are interviewed to obtain information on the frequency, characteristics, and consequences of criminal victimization in the United States. The survey reports the likelihood of victimization by rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault, theft, household burglary, and motor vehicle theft for the population as a whole, as well as for segments of the population such as adolescents 12 or older and members of various racial and gender groups. Either in person or by telephone, victims are also asked whether they reported the incident to the police. In instances of personal violent crimes, they are asked about the characteristics of the perpetrator. The response rate for 2003 was 91.6 percent of eligible households and 86.3 percent of eligible individuals. The NCVS provides the largest national forum for victims to describe the impact of crime and their characteristics and those of violent offenders. It has been ongoing since 1973 and was redesigned in 1992.

Information about the NCVS is available online at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cvict.htm#Programs.

Agency Contact:
Michael Rand
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Phone: (202) 616-3494

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National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988

The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) is a longitudinal study of the 8th-grade class of 1988 sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The Base Year survey was administered to about 24,000 8th-graders in more than 1,000 schools with an 8th-grade class. The First, Second, Third, and Fourth Follow-up surveys revisited the same sample of students in 1990, 1992, 1994, and 2000, when most of the 1988 8th-graders were in 10th-grade, in 12th-grade, and then 2 and 6 years out of high school. For each in-school follow-up, the student sample was "freshened" to obtain a representative cross-sectional sample of 10th-graders (in 1990) and 12th-graders (in 1992). In-school waves entailed the administration of a student questionnaire and a battery of cognitive tests in the subject areas of mathematics, English, science, and social studies/history. Students' teachers, principals, and parents were also surveyed. In addition, as part of the Second Follow-up, high school transcripts were collected for (1) all students attending a subset of Second Follow-up schools selected for the transcript study; (2) all dropouts and dropouts attending alternative programs who had attended high school for a minimum of one term; (3) all early graduates; and (4) sample members with disabilities that prevented them from completing a questionnaire and cognitive test battery in the Base Year, First Follow-up, and Second Follow-up. Transcripts were coded using the Classification of Secondary School Courses as updated for the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress, High School Transcript Study. Students were subsequently surveyed in the Third and Fourth Follow-ups through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI).

In this report, the analysis sample for indicators that used NELS:88 transcript data consisted of all 1992 high school graduates with complete transcripts. Of the 17,285 students on the transcript file, 13,506 students were high school graduates with complete transcripts.

Information on the NELS:88 Second Follow-up Survey and the Transcript Study can be found in:

Ingels, S.J., Dowd, K.L., Baldridge, J.D., Stripe, J.L., Bartot, V.H., and Frankel, M.R. (1994). National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 Second Follow-up: Student component data file user's manual (NCES 94-374). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

Ingels, S.J., Dowd, K.L., Taylor, J.T., Bartot, V.H., Frankel, M.R., and Pulliam, P.A. (1995). National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 Second Follow-up: Transcript component data file user's manual. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES 95-377).

Information about NELS:88 is available online at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/nels88/.

Agency Contacts:
Jeffrey Owings
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7423
E-mail: Jeffrey.Owings@ed.gov

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National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey is designed to assess the health and nutritional status of the noninstitutionalized civilian population through direct physical examinations and interviews, using a complex stratified, multistage, probability sampling design. Interviewers obtain information on personal and demographic characteristics, including age, household income, and race and ethnicity by self-reporting or as reported by an informant. The first survey, NHANES I, was conducted during the period 1971-1974; NHANES II covered the period 1976-1980; and NHANES III covered the period 1988–1994. Only NHANES III (in its first phase, conducted 1988-91), however, collected data on serum cotinine levels. NHANES III provided cotinine data for children ages 4-17. Descriptions of the survey design, the methods used in estimation, and the general qualifications of the data are presented in:
Plan and Operation of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-94: Series 1: Programs and collection procedures, No. 32. Vital and Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Starting in 1999, NHANES changed to a continuous survey visiting 15 U.S. locations per year and surveying and reporting for approximately 5,000 people annually. However, two or more years of data are necessary for adequate sample sizes for subgroup analyses.

Continuous NHANES 1999-2004 is a complex, multistage probability sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. Individuals of all ages were sampled. The NHANES 1999-2004 samples include expanded samples of Mexican Americans, African Americans, adolescents 12 to 19 years, and adults 60 years and older. In 2000, the sample individual selection probabilities were modified to increase the number of sampled persons in low income, non-Hispanic White population domains. Additionally, screening and sampling rates were adjusted for women of childbearing age to increase the number of pregnant women included in the sample. Statistical weights were used to make the sample representative of the U.S. population. For more information on the NHANES data, see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/guidelines1.pdf.

NHANES data used to calculate the Healthy Eating Index. NHANES provides information on people's consumption of foods and nutrients, as well as extensive health-related data, and information about Americans' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. NHANES data for 1999–2000 and 2001–2002 were used to compute the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Previous HEI reports were based on data from the Federal Government's Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII).

The HEI was computed for all individuals 2 years and older, because dietary guidelines are applicable to people of these ages only. Pregnant women were excluded from this analysis because of their special dietary needs.

Information about NHANES is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm.

Agency Contact:
For information on overweight:
Cynthia Ogden
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4405

For information on the Healthy Eating Index:
Peter Basiotis
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
United States Department of Agriculture
Phone: (703) 305-7600

For information on oral health:
Bruce Dye
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4199

For more information on lead and cotinine:
Debra Brody
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4116

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National Health Interview Survey

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is a continuing nationwide sample survey of the noninstitutionalized civilian population in which data are collected during personal household interviews. Interviewers obtain information on personal and demographic characteristics, including race and ethnicity, by self-reporting or as reported by a member of the household. Investigators also collect data about illnesses, injuries, impairments, chronic conditions, activity limitation caused by chronic conditions, utilization of health services, and other health topics. Each year the survey is reviewed and special topics are added or deleted. For most health topics, the survey collects data over an entire year.

The NHIS sample includes an oversample of Black, Hispanic, and Asian persons and is designed to allow the development of national estimates of health conditions, health service utilization, and health problems of the noninstitutionalized civilian population of the United States. The household response rate for the ongoing part of the survey has been between 87 and 98 percent over the years. In 1997, the NHIS was redesigned; estimates beginning in 1997 are likely to vary slightly from those for previous years. Interviewers collected information for the basic questionnaire on 98,649 persons in 2005, including 12,523 children under 18 years of age.

Additional background and health data for children are available in
Bloom B., Dey A.N., and Freeman G. (2006). Summary statistics for U.S. children: National Health Interview Survey, 2005. Vital and Health Statistics, 10 (231). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Information about NHIS is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

Agency Contact:
For information on activity limitations and general health status:
Patricia Pastor
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4422

For information on emotional or behavioral difficulties:
Gloria Simpson
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4502

For information on oral health:
Bruce Dye
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4199

For information on usual source of health care:
Robin Cohen
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4152

For information on asthma:
Lara Akinbami
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4306

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National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) collects data on the utilization and provision of medical care services provided in hospital emergency and outpatient departments. Data are collected from medical records on type of health care providers seen; reason for visit; diagnoses; drugs ordered, provided, or continued; and selected procedures and tests performed during the visit. Patient data include age, sex, race, and expected source of payment. Data are also collected on selected characteristics of hospitals included in the survey. Annual data collection began in 1992.

The survey is a representative sample of visits to emergency departments (EDs) and outpatient departments (OPDs) of non-federal, short-stay, or general hospitals. Telephone contacts are excluded. A four-stage probability sample design is used in NHAMCS, involving samples of primary sampling units (PSUs), hospitals within PSUs, clinics within OPDs, and patient visits within clinics.

The hospital sample consists of approximately 500 hospitals. In 2003, 40,253 ED patient record forms (PRFs) were completed and 36,589 PRFs in 2004. The ED hospital response rate was 85 percent in 2003 and 89 percent in 2004.

Reference:
McCaig LF, McLemore T. Plan and operation of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat Series no 1 (34). 1994. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_01/sr01_034acc.pdf.

For more information see the National Health Care Survey (NHCS) website: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhcs.htm or the Ambulatory Health Care website: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/ahcd/ahcd1.htm.

Agency contact:
Lois Fingerhut
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4213

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National Household Education Survey

The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), collects detailed information about education issues through a household-based survey using telephone interviews. The sample for the NHES is drawn from the noninstitutionalized civilian population in households having a telephone in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. In each survey, between 44,000 and 60,000 households are screened to identify persons eligible for one of the topics. Generally, each collection covers two topical surveys, and researchers conduct between 2,500 and 25,000 interviews for each survey. The data are weighted to permit nationally representative estimates of the population of interest. In addition, the NHES design samples minorities at a higher rate than nonminorities to increase the reliability of estimates for these groups.

The 1991 NHES included a survey on early childhood program participation. Investigators screened approximately 60,000 households to identify a sample of about 14,000 children, ages 3-8. They interviewed parents in order to collect information about these children's educational activities and the role of the family in the children's learning. In 1993, NCES fielded a school readiness survey in which parents of approximately 11,000 children age 3 through second grade were asked about their children's experiences in early childhood programs, developmental level, school adjustment and related problems, early primary school experiences, general health and nutrition status, home activities, and family characteristics, including family stability and economic risk factors. In 1995, NCES also fielded an early childhood program participation survey, similar to that of 1991. It entailed screening approximately 44,000 households and interviewing 14,000 parents of children from birth through 3rd-grade. In 1996, NCES fielded a survey of parent and family involvement in education, interviewing nearly 21,000 parents of children from age 3 through 12th-grade. About 8,000 youth in grades 6 through 12 were also interviewed about their community service and civic involvement. The 1999 NHES was designed to collect end-of-the-decade estimates of key indicators collected in previous NHES surveys and to collect data from children and their parents about plans for the child's education after high school. Interviews were conducted with 24,000 parents of children ranging from newborns through 12th-graders, approximately 8,000 students in grades 6 through 12 in the youth interview, and nearly 7,000 adults.

Three surveys were fielded as part of the 2001 NHES. The Early Childhood Program Participation survey was similar in content to the 1995 collection and collected data about the education of 7,000 prekindergarten children ranging in age from birth to 6. The Before and After-School Programs and Activities survey collected data about nonparental care arrangements and educational and noneducational activities in which children participate before and after school. Data were collected for approximately 10,000 kindergarteners through 8th graders. The third survey fielded in 2001 was the Adult Education and Lifelong Learning survey, which gathered data about the formal and informal educational activities of 11,000 adults.

Information about the NHES is available online at http://nces.ed.gov/nhes.

Agency Contact:
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
Phone: (202) 502-7414
E-mail: Chris.Chapman@ed.gov

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National Immunization Survey

The National Immunization Survey (NIS) is a continuing nationwide telephone sample survey of families with children ages 19 to 35 months. Estimates of vaccine-specific coverage are available for the Nation, the States, and 28 urban areas in 2005.

The NIS uses a two-stage sample design. First, a random-digit-dialing sample of telephone numbers is drawn. When households with age-eligible children (19-35 months) are contacted, the interviewer collects information on the vaccinations received by all age eligible children. The interviewer also collects information on the vaccination providers. In the second phase, all vaccination providers are contacted by mail. Providers' responses are combined with information obtained from the households to render estimates of vaccination coverage levels more accurately. Final estimates are adjusted for noncoverage of households without telephones.

Information about the NIS is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/NIP/coverage/.

Agency Contact:
James Singleton
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Phone: (404) 639-8560

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National Linked File of Live Births and Infant Deaths

The National Linked File of Live Births and Infant Deaths is a data file for research on infant mortality. Beginning with the 1995 data, this file is produced in two formats. The file is released first as a period data file and later as a cohort file. In the birth cohort format, it includes linked vital records for infants born in a given year who died in that calendar year or the next year, before their first birthday. In the period format, the numerator consists of all infant deaths occurring in one year, with deaths linked to the corresponding birth certificates from that year or the previous year. The linked file includes all the variables on the national natality file, as well as medical information reported for the same infant on the death record and the age of the infant at death. The use of linked files prevents discrepancies in the reporting of race between the birth and infant death certificates. Although discrepancies are rare for White and Black infants, they can be substantial for other races. National linked files are available starting with the birth cohort of 1983. No linked file was produced for the 1992 through 1994 data years. Match completeness for each of the birth cohort files is about 98 percent.

For more information, see:

Prager, K. (1994). Infant mortality by birthweight and other characteristics: United States, 1985 birth cohort. Vital and Health Statistics, 20(24). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Mathews, T.J., Menacker F., and MacDorman, M.F. (2004). Infant mortality statistics from the 2002 period linked birth/infant death data set. National Vital Statistics Reports, 53(10). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Information about the National Linked File of Live Births and Infant Deaths is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/linked.htm.

Agency Contacts:
For information on infant mortality:
T.J. Mathews
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4363

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National Survey on Environmental Management of Asthma and Children's Exposure to Environmental Tobacco

In 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) commissioned a commercial contractor, Abt Associates Incorporated, to conduct a survey on asthma and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) issues. The survey was designed to assess knowledge regarding general and personal environmental asthma triggers; the extent to which individuals with asthma take measures to reduce exposure to indoor environmental asthma triggers; and the barriers to implementation, for adults with asthma or parents of children with asthma, which prevent improvement of the indoor environment. In addition, data were collected to provide information about children (under the age of 18), particularly those age 6 and under, exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in the home.

All interviews were conducted by telephone using a random digit dialing sampling methodology. A total of 14,685 households in the 50 States were contacted; of these, 2,504 interviews were conducted in households with children age 6 and under. To determine the exposure of children to ETS, a series of questions were administered in homes with children to determine whether residents and/or visitors smoked in the home, and if so, how often.

Agency Contact:
Alison Freeman
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Phone: (202) 343-9455

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National Vital Statistics System

Through the National Vital Statistics System, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) collects and publishes data on births and deaths in the United States. NCHS obtains information on births and deaths from the registration offices of all States, New York City, and the District of Columbia.

Demographic information on birth certificates, such as race and ethnicity, is provided by the mother at the time of birth. Hospital records provide the base for information on birthweight, while funeral directors and family members provide demographic information on death certificates. Medical certification of cause of death is provided by a physician, medical examiner, or coroner.

Information on Hispanic origin. . The number of States gathering information on births to parents of Hispanic origin has increased gradually since 1980-81, when 22 States included this information on birth certificates. By 1993, the Hispanic origin of the mother was reported on birth certificates in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. Similarly, mortality data by Hispanic origin of decedent have become more complete over time. In 1997, Hispanic origin was reported on death certificates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Population denominators. The natality and mortality rates shown in this report for 1991–2005 have been revised, based on populations consistent with the census conducted on April 1, 2000. Prior to America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2003, rates were based on populations projected from the 1990 Census. The population estimates for 2000–2005 can be found on the Internet at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/popbridge/popbridge.htm. It was necessary to create population estimates for 2000–2005 that were consistent with the race categories used in the 1990 Census.

The revised intercensal population estimates for 5-year age groups for 1991-99 can also be found on the Internet at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/popbridge/popbridge.htm.

Detailed information on the methodologies used to develop the revised populations, including the populations for birth rates for teenagers and birth rates for unmarried teenagers, is presented in several publications.

For more information about these methodologies, see:

Ventura, S.J., Hamilton, B.E., Sutton, P.D. (2003). Revised birth and fertility rates for the United States, 2000 and 2001. National Vital Statistics Reports, 51(4). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Hamilton, B.E., Sutton, P.D., and Ventura, S.J. (2003). Revised birth and fertility rates for the 1990s: United States, and new rates for Hispanic populations, 2000 and 2001. National Vital Statistics Reports, 51(12) Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

National Center for Health Statistics. (2002). Unpublished estimates of the April 1, 2000, United States population by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, prepared under a collaborative arrangement with the U.S. Census Bureau. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/popbridge/popbridge.htm.

Ingram, D.D., Weed, J.A., Parker, J.D., Hamilton, B.E., Schenker, N., Arias, E., Madans, J. (2003). U.S. Census 2000 population with bridged race categories. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Statistics, 2(135).

Anderson, R.N., Arias, E. (2003). The effect of revised populations on mortality statistics for the United States, 2000. National Vital Statistics Reports, 51(9) Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.

Preliminary data. NCHS continuously receives statistical records from the States' vital registration systems, providing preliminary data. Investigators weight individual records of births and deaths to independent counts of vital events registered in each State and reported to NCHS. These independent counts, aggregated for a 12-month period, serve as control totals and are the basis for the individual unit record weights in the preliminary file. For selected variables, unknown or not-stated values are imputed. The percentage not stated is generally 1 percent or less.

For more information on national natality and mortality data, see:

National Center for Health Statistics. (2001). Technical appendix. Vital Statistics of the United States, 1999, natality. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/techap99.pdf.

National Center for Health Statistics. (2005). Technical appendix. Vital Statistics of the United States, 2003, natality. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/techap03.pdf.

National Center for Health Statistics. (2004). Technical appendix. Vital Statistics of the United States, 1999, vol. II, mortality, part A. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/techap99.pdf.

Information about the National Vital Statistics System is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss.htm.

Agency Contacts:

For information on births to unmarried women, low birthweight, and adolescent births:
Stephanie Ventura
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4547

For information on child mortality:
Donna Hoyert
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4279

For more information on adolescent mortality:
Lois Fingerhut
National Center for Health Statistics
Phone: (301) 458-4213

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Safe Drinking Water Information System

The Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) is the national regulatory compliance database for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s drinking water program. SDWIS includes information on the Nation's 160,000 public water systems and data submitted by states and EPA regions in conformance with reporting requirements established by statute, regulation, and guidance.

EPA sets national standards for drinking water. These requirements take three forms: maximum contaminant levels (MCLs, the maximum allowable level of a specific contaminant in drinking water), treatment techniques (specific methods that facilities must follow to remove certain contaminants), and monitoring and reporting requirements (schedules that utilities must follow to report testing results). States report any violations of these three types of standards to EPA.

Water systems must monitor for contaminant levels on fixed schedules and report to EPA when a maximum contaminant level has been exceeded. States also must report when systems fail to meet specified treatment techniques. More information about the maximum contaminant levels can be found at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html.

EPA sets minimum monitoring schedules that drinking water systems must follow. These minimum reporting schedules (systems may monitor more frequently) vary by the size of the water system as well as by contaminant. Some contaminants are monitored daily, others need to be checked far less frequently (the longest monitoring cycle is every nine years). For example, at a minimum, drinking water systems will monitor continuously for turbidity, monthly for bacteria, and once every four years for radionuclides.

SDWIS includes data on the total population served by each public water system and the state in which the public water system is located. However, SDWIS does not include the number of children served. The fractions of the population served by violating public water systems in each state were estimated using the total population served by violating community water systems divided by the total population served by all community water systems. The numbers of children served by violating public water systems in each state were estimated by multiplying the fraction of the population served by violating public water systems by the number of children (ages 0–17) in the state.

For more information see the EPA's SDWIS Web site at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwisfed/sdwis.htm.

Agency Contact: Lee Kyle
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
Phone: (202) 564-4622
E-mail: kyle.lee@epa.gov

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Survey of Income and Program Participation

Core survey and topical modules. Implemented by the U.S. Census Bureau since 1984, the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is a continuous series of national longitudinal panels, with a sample size ranging from approximately 14,000 to 36,700 interviewed households. The duration of each panel ranges from 21/2 years to 4 years, with household interviews every 4 months.

The SIPP collects detailed information on income, labor force participation, participation in government assistance programs, and general demographic characteristics to measure the effectiveness of existing government programs, estimate future costs and coverage of government programs, and provide statistics on the distribution of income in America. In addition, topical modules provide detailed information on a variety of subjects, including health insurance, child care, adult and child well-being, marital and fertility history, and education and training. The U.S. Census Bureau releases cross-sectional, topical modules and longitudinal reports and data files. In 1996, the SIPP questionnaire was redesigned to include a new 4-year panel sample design and the computer-assisted personal interviewing method. The 2001 panel was a 3-year panel sample, and a new 2004 panel is currently in the field and is anticipated to cover a 4-year period.

Information about the SIPP is available online at http://www.bls.census.gov/sipp/.

Agency Contact:
Judy Eargle
U.S. Census Bureau
Phone: (301) 763-5263

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Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) was developed in 1990 to monitor priority health risk behaviors that contribute markedly to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. The YRBSS includes national, state, and local school-based surveys of representative samples of 9th through 12th-grade students. These surveys are conducted every two years, usually during the spring semester. The national survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides data representative of high school students in public and private schools in the United States. The state and local surveys, conducted by departments of health and education, provide data representative of public high school students in each state or local school district.

The sampling frame for the 2005 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) consisted of all public and private schools with students in at least one of grades 9-12 in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A three-stage cluster sample design produced a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9-12 who attend public and private schools. All students in selected classes were eligible to participate. Schools, classes, and students that refused to participate were not replaced. For the 2005 national YRBS, 13,953 questionnaires were completed in 159 schools. The school response rate was 78 percent, and the student response rate was 86 percent. The school response rate multiplied by the student response rate produced an overall response rate of 67 percent.

Survey procedures for the national, state, and local surveys were designed to protect students' privacy by allowing for anonymous and voluntary participation. Before survey administration, local parental permission procedures were followed. Students completed the self-administered questionnaire during one class period and recorded their responses directly on a computer-scannable booklet or answer sheet.

Information about the YRBS and the YRBSS is available on-line at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs.

Agency Contact:
Laura Kann
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Phone: (770) 488-6181
E-mail: lkk1@cdc.gov

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