5162.0: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 - 1:15 PM

Abstract #16891

Changes in race differentials: The impact of the new OMB standards on health data in the National Health Interview Survey

Jacqueline Lucas, MPH, Divisnion of Health Interview Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6525 Belcrest Road, Room 850, Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301-458-4355, JLucas@cdc.gov

In 1997, the Office of Management and budget issued new standards for the collection of race and ethnicity data in the federal statistical system that provide, among other things, the opportunity for respondents to indicate more than one race. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which has allowed respondents to indicate more than one race since it began collecting race and ethnicity information in 1976, provides the ideal tool for examining how the new standards will affect the measurement of health outcomes by race. Data from the 1997 NHIS were used to examine the level of multiple race reporting, to determine how measuring health outcomes for single race groups is affected by measuring outcomes for multiple race groups, and to assess the usefulness of NHIS data in creating a bridge between the old and new ways of collecting race and ethnicity data (for the purposed of maintaining trends in the data). About 1.4% of the 1997 survey population reported more than one race. When methods are used to compare the old standards to the new standards, the differences for the white and black single race groups in the percentage of persons with private health insurance coverage were negligible; however, differences for the AIAN and API were more noticeable. The NHIS follow-up question, which allows multiple race persons to self-assign to a single race group, provides an adequate method for bridging between the old and new ways of collecting race data.

Learning Objectives: After this session, the learner will be able to: 1. Identify new OMB requirements for collecting and reporting race and ethnicity 2. Discuss the effects of those changes on reporting of race and ethnicity in the NHIS

Keywords: Education, Survey

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Center for Health Statistics
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employee

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA