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Information Sheet

August 2008

Summary of Surveys and Data Systems

PDF version 183 KB

Page Content

 

Vital Statistics Cooperative Program (VSCP)

Data Source/Methods

  • State vital registration
  • Births
  • Deaths
  • Linked Birth/Infant Death Program
  • Matched multiple birth data sets

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Life expectancy
  • Causes of death
  • Infant mortality (IM)
  • Prenatal care and birthweight
  • Birthweight
  • Birth rates
  • Nonmarital births
  • Pregnancy outcomes
  • Occupational mortality
  • Teenage pregnancy
  • Method of delivery
  • IM rates by birth and period cohorts
  • IM rates by birthweight
  • IM by cause of death
  • Preterm delivery
  • Multiple births
  • Perinatal mortality
  • Maternal smoking

Planned Sample

  • All births (4 million records annually)
  • All deaths (about 2.4 million records annually)
  • Reported fetal deaths of 20+ weeks gestation (about 26,000 annually)
  • Counts of marriages and divorces

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

For births, deaths, and fetal deaths:

  • White, black, 5 API groups, American Indian, multiple race
  • 5 Hispanic groups
  • Education
  • Births and deaths: 10 API groups from 11 states
  • Marital status

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Continue monthly, annual data system
  • Assist states in automating and/or re-engineering their IT systems to enhance timeliness and quality of reporting
  • Implement revised certificates as part of re-engineering process Implement new OMB race guidelines
  • Evaluate quality of new data items
  • Implement new data access methods and reports
  • Re-engineer internal DVS systems
  • Develop and publish birth certificate regulations in response to IRTPA

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National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Data Source/Methods

  • Personal interview
  • Physical examination
  • Laboratory tests
  • Nutritional assessment
  • DNA repository

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Total prevalence of disease or conditions including those unrecognized or undetected
  • Nutrition monitoring
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Osteoporosis
  • Iron deficiency anemia and other nutritional disorders
  • Environmental exposures monitoring
  • Children's growth & development
  • Infectious disease monitoring
  • Overweight

Planned Sample

  • ~5,000 persons per year, all ages
  • Oversample 60+
  • Oversample blacks & Hispanics

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

All Years

  • Income and poverty index
  • Education
  • Occupation
  • Type of living quarters
  • Social services
  • Black, white and Mex. Amer.

Prior to 1982

  • White, black, Other
  • Birthplace

1988 +

  • OMB categories
  • Acculturation questions re: language usually spoken at home

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual, with capability for longitudinal followup

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Data collection for annual sample
  • Data releases on two-year cycles
  • Surveys of other population groups or State and local geographic areas (Community HANES) are being considered

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National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Personal interviews

Selected Applications of Data Produced

Annual data on:

  • Health status and limitations
  • Utilization of health care
  • Injuries
  • Family resources
  • Health insurance
  • Access to care
  • Selected conditions
  • Health Behaviors
  • Functioning
  • HIV/AIDS testing
  • Flu shots/sprays for all ages
  • Pneumonia shots for adults 18+

Planned Sample

  • ~40,000 households
  • In 2006, oversample includes blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. Sample adults are now oversampled if 65+ and one of these minorities.

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Hispanic groups
  • API groups
  • Family and individual income and poverty level
  • Education and occupation (sample person only)
  • Type of living quarters
  • Acculturation questions re: language used during interview

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Continue annual survey
  • Provide sampling frame to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
  • Supplements
    • 2005: Cancer Control
    • 2006: Healthy People 2010 Objectives (arthritis, stroke, diabetes)
    • 2007: Complementary and alternative medicine and hearing
    • 2008: Oral health, HPV, asthma, vision (all ages); cancer screening, balance , Heart disease, immunization (adults only)
    • 2009: arthritis (others as yet undecided)
  • Re-designed sample implemented (2006)

 

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National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Hospital records
  • Computerized data sources

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Patient characteristics
  • Hospital characteristics
  • Length of stay
  • Diagnosis and multiple diagnoses
  • Surgical and diagnostic procedures

Planned Sample

  • 500 hospitals
  • 300,000 discharges

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Annual release of paradata files on interview process
  • Continue annual survey of hospitals
  • Re-design in process (2010)

 

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National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Encounter forms completed by office-based physicians and other staff
  • Physician-level personal interviews

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Characteristics of patients' visits
  • Diagnoses and treatment
  • Prescribing patterns
  • Characteristics of practice

Planned Sample

  • 3,400 physicians in office-based practices
  • Three providers at each of 104 community health centers
  • ~30,000 patient visits

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Continue annual survey
  • Special focus on chronic diseases (2005-8)
  • Cervical cancer screening supplement
  • Separate strata of community health centers and medical and surgical oncologists (2006-7)

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National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Encounter forms completed by physicians and other hospital staff
  • Facility and personal interviews

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Characteristics of patients' visits to hospital outpatient departments (OPD) and emergency departments (ED)
  • Diagnoses and treatment
  • Prescribing patterns
  • Characteristics of facility

Planned Sample

  • 600 hospitals
  • 70,000 patient visits

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Continue annual survey
  • Add content on electronic medical records
  • Emergency pediatric preparedness - supplement (2006)
  • Special focus on chronic diseases (OPD) (2005-8)
  • Cervical cancer screening supplement

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National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)

Data Source/Methods

  • Personal interviews
  • Men and women 15-44 years

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Contraception & sterilization
  • Teenage sexual activity & pregnancy
  • Family planning & unintended pregnancy
  • Infertility, adoption, breastfeeding
  • Marriage, divorce, and cohabitation
  • Fatherhood involvement
  • HIV risk behavior

Planned Sample

  • 5,000 men and women
  • Oversample blacks, Hispanics and teens

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • 4 Hispanic groups
  • Family & individual income, & poverty level
  • Sources of income
  • Education

Planned Periodicity

  • Continuous since mid-2006

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Design for continuous interviewing ongoing
  • First data set from continuous interviewing release (2009)

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National Immunization Survey (NIS) (in partnership with CDC/NIP)

Data Source/Methods

  • Telephone interviews
  • Provider record check component
  • Weighting adjustment for non- telephone households

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Evaluation of immunization status of preschool population (NIS)
  • Demographic characteristics
  • Family resources data
  • Health care utilization

Planned Sample

  • Over 1 million households screened to find NIS sample of households with children 19-35 months
  • 400 completed NIS interviews in each of 55 non-overlapping areas (at least) which includes the 50 states, DC and 5 or more grantees. Add'l areas maybe included subject to funding
  • Option allows for additional data collection on other topics from the households screened for the NIS sample

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Income
  • Education of the mother

Planned Periodicity

  • Continuous with quarterly 12 month moving averages

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Currently conducting interviews for all areas
  • New contract to cover data collection (CY 2005-2007)

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National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs

Data Source/Methods

  • Conducted using the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey (SLAITS) mechanism
  • Telephone interviews
  • Statistical adjustments for house- holds without telephones
  • Utilizes NIS sample frame
  • Sponsored and funded by Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA
  • Additional funding by OASPE (2001)

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Children with special health care needs
  • Health care utilization and barriers
  • Performance partnership initiatives
  • Health insurance coverage State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) attitudes and experience
  • Characteristics of SCHIP eligible but unenrolled children (2001)

Planned Sample

  • State-based samples of children 0-17 years of age
  • All 50 states plus DC Detailed interview for children identified with special needs
  • Detailed interview for low-income uninsured children (2001)
  • Detailed interview for referent sample (2005-2006)

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Income and poverty levels
  • Parental education
  • TANF participation

Planned Periodicity

  • Periodic implemen tation (every 4 years)

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Data files released (FY 2003)
  • Released chartbook and numerous journal articles
  • Provision of technical assistance to states
  • Focus of an issue of the Maternal and Child Health Journal
  • Repeated (CY 2005-2006)

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National Survey of Children's Health

Data Source/Methods

  • Conducted using the SLAITS mechanism
  • Telephone interviews
  • Statistical adjustments for households without telephones
  • Utilizes NIS sample frame
  • Sponsored and funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Physical, emotional, and dental health
  • Health insurance coverage
  • Health care utilization and barriers
  • Medical home
  • Child, family, and neighborhood well-being
  • Children with special health care needs
  • Performance partnership initiatives

Planned Sample

  • State-based samples of children 0-17 years of age
  • All 50 states plus DC

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Income and poverty levels

Planned Periodicity

  • Periodic implementation (every 4 years) subject to funding by sponsor

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Release public use data files (2005)
  • Released chartbook, numerous journal articles
  • Provision of technical assistance to states
  • Will be repeated (CY 2007)
  • Focus of a supplement to Pediatrics

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National Death Index (NDI)

Data Source/Methods

  • State registration areas- death certificates

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Facilitates epidemiological follow-up studies
  • Verification of death for individuals under study
  • Optional release of coded causes of death available to users upon request
  • Most NCHS surveys are linked to NDI

Planned Sample

  • All deaths

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • Same race groups as VSCP

Planned Periodicity

  • Annual

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Continue ongoing matching operations

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National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Long-term care providers
  • Interviews with facility administrators and staff familiar with residents
  • For patient level data, respondents refer to facility/medical records

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Facility-level
    • Facility and staffing characteristics
    • Facility practices
  • Resident-level
    • Health status (functional status, diagnoses and conditions)
    • Medications
    • ED visits and hospitalizations
    • End of life care
    • Pain assessment, management and relief

Planned Sample

  • 1,500 nursing homes
  • 18,000 current residents

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • Last conducted in 2004. Period between surveys to be determined.

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Release preliminary data 2006
  • Release public-use data files (2006)
  • Release summary statistics and journal articles (2006-2008)

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National Nursing Assistant Survey (NNAS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Sample of nursing assistants (NAs) working in sub-sample of facilities participating in the 2004 NNHS
  • Telephone interviews

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Characteristics of Nas
  • Why NAs remain in the field
  • Factors that influence entering/leaving the field
  • Factors affecting retention
  • Factors that affect workers' attitudes, relationships with managers and clients, and job satisfaction

Planned Sample

  • 690 facilities
  • 5,520 nursing assistants

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • One time in 2004

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Revise survey for use in survey of home health aides (2007)
  • Release summary statistics, journal articles (2007)

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National Survey of Residential Care Facilities

Data Source/Methods

  • Methods are being evaluated

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Characteristics of residential care facilities, number and characteristics of residents along with medical diagnoses and functional status

Planned Sample

  • 1,500-2,200 facilities
  • Data on 8,000-10,000 residents

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories; others (if any) to be determined

Planned Periodicity

  • To be fielded first time in 2009; periodicity to be determined

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Survey design (2006-2008)
  • Survey to be fielded (2009)

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National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery (NSAS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Abstract forms completed by facility staff

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Patient characteristics
  • Facility characteristics
  • Diagnosis and multiple diagnoses
  • Surgical and diagnostic procedures

Planned Sample

  • 696 facilities
  • 60,000 surgery visits

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • 1994-1996; 2006

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Data release (2008)

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National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP)

Data Source/Methods

  • Conducted using the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey (SLAITS) mechanism
  • Telephone interview
  • Utilized all identified target cases (children adopted from the domestic foster care system, private domestic adoption, or international adoption) from the 2005-2006 NS-CSHCN & 2007 NSCH samples (both of which were statistically adjusted . for non-resp
  • Sponsored by DHHS (ASPE and ACF) with technical assistance on international adoption content provided by the Dept. of State

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Pre- and post-adoption experiences of parents
  • Efficacy of post-adoption supports
  • Characteristics of adoptions
  • Transracial and/or transcultural adoptions
  • Parent and child well-being
  • Adoption agreement and post-adoption services (financial)
  • Post-adoption supports (non-financial)

Planned Sample

  • National sample of adopted children 0 to 17 years of age
  • Approximately 2,000 completed interviews (main NSAP sample)
  • Approximately 2,000 completed interviews in the referent NSAP sample (subsample of the 2007 NSCH and 2005-2006 NS-CSHCN cases)
  • NSAP referent sample will be asked selected emotional and education indicators to compare to adopted children in the main sample

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories of responding adoptive parent, and any other adoptive parent living in HH
  • Income and poverty levels (from NSCH or NS-CSHCN)
  • Program participation (from NSCH or NS-CSHCN)
  • Parental employment status of the responding adoptive parent, and any other adoptive parent living in HH

Planned Periodicity

  • One time Fielded in 2007

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • NSAP file will be released only as a stand-alone file with selected NSCH or NS-CSHCN variable (as applicable) attached
  • Anticipate the release of numerous journal articles

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National Home Health Aide Survey (NHHAS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Telephone interviews
  • Sample of home health aides (HHAs) working in agencies participating in the 2007 NHHCS

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Characteristics of HHAs
  • Why HHAs remain in the field
  • Factors that influence entering/leaving the field
  • Factors affecting retention
  • Factors that affect workers' attitudes, relationships with managers and clients, and job satisfaction

Planned Sample

  • 1,255 agencies
  • 7,000 home health aides

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • One time in 2007-2008

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Conduct survey (2007-2008)
  • Release public use data files (2009)
  • Release summary statistics (2009)

 

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National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS)

Data Source/Methods

  • Home health agencies and hospices
  • Interviews with administrators and staff familiar with patients
  • For patient level data, respondents refer agency/medical records

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Characteristics of home health agencies and hospices
  • Number and characteristics of patients and discharges
  • Medical diagnoses and functional status

Planned Sample

  • 1,800 home health agencies and hospices
  • 6,275 current home health patients
  • 6,275 discharged hospice patients

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories

Planned Periodicity

  • Last conducted in 2000. Period between surveys to be determined.

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Conduct re-designed survey (2007)
  • 2007 survey includes new information on: medications, end-of-life care, staffing, administration, electronic medical records
  • Release public use data files (2009)

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National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D)

Data Source/Methods

  • Personal interviews
  • Follow-up interviews

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Sensory, mobility, and communication impairments
  • Functional limitations
  • Personal assistance
  • Special education
  • Mental health conditions
  • Employment and transportation limitations
  • Therapeutic services
  • Children w/ special health needs
  • Post polio syndrome

Planned Sample

  • Phase 1 screens 90,000 households
  • Phase 2 is a followup of those persons with moderate to severe disabilities
  • Phase 2: approximately 20,400 children and adults in 1994, and approximately 12,400 children and adults in 1995

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Hispanic groups
  • API groups
  • Family income and poverty level
  • Education and occupation
  • Type of living quarters

Planned Periodicity

  • Special 2-year study in 1994-1995

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • A public use file of polio data from the Disability Followback Survey (Phase II of the NHIS-D) was released in 2000, the final release of NHIS-D data

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National Survey of Early Childhood Health

Data Source/Methods

  • Conducted using the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey (SLAITS) mechanism
  • Telephone interviews
  • Statistical adjustments for house-holds without telephones
  • Utilizes NIS sample frame
  • Sponsored by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
  • Funded by Gerber Foundation, Maternal and Child Health Bureau and AAP

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Parents' perceptions of the quality of pediatric care
  • Content of anticipatory guidance
  • Health care utilization and barriers
  • Home safety measures
  • Health insurance coverage

Planned Sample

  • National sample of children 4-35 months of age
  • Oversample of Black non- Hispanic and Hispanic children

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Income and poverty levels
  • Parental education
  • Parental employment status
  • WIC participation

Planned Periodicity

  • Unspecified periodic implementation subject to funding by sponsors

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Released public use data files and released summary statistics
  • Released supplement to Pediatrics
  • Numerous journal articles released

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Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health (JCUSH)

Data Source/Methods

  • Same questionnaire administered by telephone in 2002-2003 in both countries, in English or French in Canada, in English or Spanish in U.S.

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Directly compare U.S. and Canadian estimates on health status, chronic conditions utilization of health care services, etc.

Planned Sample

  • 5,200 U.S. adults
  • 3,500 Canadian adults

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories in US, in GP in Canada; income, wealth, education

Planned Periodicity

  • One-time in 2002-2003

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Joint data release on Statistics Canada and NCHS' websites, June 2, 2004 Invited Session at 2004 Joint Statistical Meetings in Toronto; numerous other talks and papers

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National Asthma Survey

Data Source/Methods

  • Conducted using the SLAITS mechanism
  • Telephone interviews
  • Statistical adjustments for households without telephones
  • Utilizes NIS sample frame (and stand-alone NAS sample)
  • Sponsored and funded by National Center for Environmental Health, CDC

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Asthma prevalence rates (national sample only)
  • Health care utilization and barriers
  • Asthma management and medication use
  • Family history of asthma

Planned Sample

  • Four state samples and national samples in 2003 of adults and children

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • Income and poverty levels
  • Education

Planned Periodicity

  • Last conducted in 2003; there are no plans to repeat this survey

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Conducted survey (2003)
  • Release public use data files (2005)
  • Release journal articles, continue analyses

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Second Supplement of Aging

Data Source/Methods

  • Personal interviews
  • Linked administrative records data from NDI, cause-of-death, CMS, and SSA

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Functional status
  • Living arrangements
  • Use of hospitals and nursing homes
  • Death rates by social, economic, family and health characteristics

Planned Sample

  • 9,447 persons age 70 and over at the time of Phase 2 of NHIS-D (1994-1996)

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • 4 Hispanic groups
  • Education
  • Type of housing
  • Occupation & retirement
  • Income & income sources

Planned Periodicity

  • Cross-sectional survey, serves as a baseline to the LSOA II

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Ongoing record matches with the NDI, cause-of-death, CMS Medicare files, and SSA benefit data

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Second Longitudinal Studing of Aging (LSOA II)

Data Source/Methods

  • Telephone Interviews
  • Linked administrative records data from NDI, cause-of-death, CMS, and SSA

Selected Applications of Data Produced

  • Changes in functional status, chronic conditions, comorbidity
  • Causes and consequences of change
  • Living arrangements, social support
  • Health care coverage and utilization
  • Death rates by social, economic, family, and health characteristics

Planned Sample

  • 9,447 persons age 70 and over at the time of Phase 2 of NHIS-D (1994-1996)

Race/Ethnicity and SES [1]

  • OMB categories
  • 4 Hispanic groups
  • Education
  • Type of housing
  • Occupation and retirement
  • Income and income sources

Planned Periodicity

  • Baseline plus 2 follow-up waves, each at 2-year intervals

FY 2005-2009 Plans

  • Ongoing record matches with the NDI, cause-of-death, CMS Medicare files, and SSA benefit data

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Notes

  1. OMB categories include white, black or African-American, Asian, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, American Indian or Alaska Native. Hispanic origin is asked as a separate question.

 

Page Last Modified: November 20, 2008
Data Source: CDC/National Center for Health Statistics

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