Using Data from the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey to Reduce Health Disparities for Multiracial Americans

Results from the 2010 Census provide a new look at the composition and distribution of the multiracial population in the United States. Coupled with data from the American Community Survey (ACS), which yields annual characteristic data, we are able to understand more detailed information about the multiracial population in general, and the specific racial and ethnic diversity that exists within it. This now enables more nuanced discussions with regard to the unique health and community priorities of this growing population into the next decade. Therefore, the purpose of this presentation is threefold: 1) to provide detailed multivariate analysis of demographic, educational, economic and geographic description of multiracial data reported to the 2010 Census and ACS; 2) to demonstrate how this data is useful to public health in identifying and addressing risk factors for multiple health disparities for multiracial Americans; and, 3) to discuss useful ways the data can be used for planning targeted, culturally competent prevention messages and mediums. To date, public health research has been limited in outreach to this diverse population. For example, organ transplants are an emerging health disparity impacting multiracial Americans for which census and ACS data can be useful for planning geographic-focused social marketing campaigns to specific mixed race combinations to increase organ donation registry. The multi-dimensional data available from Census 2010 and the American Community Survey can be beneficial not only for what it shows about multiracial Americans; the data can also be used to serve this growing population in reducing their health disparities.