NCHS: A Blog of the National Center for Health Statistics
Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, July–December 2014
Preliminary results from the July– December 2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) indicate that the number of American homes with only wireless telephones continues to grow. More than two in every five American homes (45.4%) had only wireless telephones (also known as cellular telephones, cell phones, or mobile phones) during the second half of 2014—an Read More >
Posted on byHealth Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, 2014
NCHS has released selected estimates of health insurance coverage for the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population based on data from the 2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), along with comparable estimates from the 2009–2013 NHIS. Estimates for 2014 are based on data for 111,682 persons. Key Findings from the Report: In 2014, 36.0 million persons of all Read More >
Posted on byBirths: Preliminary Data for 2014
NCHS has just released a new report that presents preliminary data on births and birth rates and selected maternal and infant health characteristics for the United States in 2014. Key Findings from the Report: The 2014 preliminary number of U.S. births was 3,985,924, an increase of 1% from 2013. The number of births increased for women Read More >
Posted on bySTATE VITALS: NORTH DAKOTA
The state of North Dakota scores lower than the nation overall in births to unmarried mothers, cesarean deliveries, preterm births and low birthweight. However, among the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, North Dakota has mortality rates that are higher than the U.S. rates for the following causes: stroke, accidents, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, kidney disease and suicide. Read More >
Posted on byRacial and Ethnic Disparities in Men’s Use of Mental Health Treatments
Compared with white Americans, persons of other races in the United States are less likely to have access to and receive needed mental health care. Few studies, however, have explored such disparities specifically among men. Mental health and treatment have traditionally received less attention for men than women, perhaps because men are less likely than Read More >
Posted on byCommunication Disorders and Use of Intervention Services Among Children Aged 3–17 Years: United States, 2012
Increasing the proportion of children with voice, swallowing, speech, or language disorders who receive intervention services is a Healthy People 2020 goal. Timely receipt of intervention services is shown to be effective for treatment of communication disorders. Using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, this report gives the percentage of U.S. children aged 3–17 Read More >
Posted on byThree Decades of Nonmarital First Births Among Fathers Aged 15–44 in the United States
Nonmarital childbearing in the United States increased from the 1940s to the 1990s, peaked in 2007–2008, and declined in 2013. In 2013, the nonmarital birth rate was 44.8 births per 1,000 unmarried women aged 15–44. Using data from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), a new NCHS report examines nonmarital first births reported by fathers aged Read More >
Posted on byHIV Testing in the Past Year Among the U.S. Household Population Aged 15–44: 2011–2013
In 2011, more than 1 million Americans aged 13 and over were living with HIV infection, and one in seven did not know their infection status. Routine, voluntary HIV testing is a recognized way to reduce HIV transmission. A new NCHS report updates nationally representative estimates and trends for HIV testing in the past year Read More >
Posted on byMeasuring Gestational Age in Vital Statistics Data: Transitioning to the Obstetric Estimate
Beginning with the 2014 data year, NCHS is transitioning to a new standard for estimating the gestational age of a newborn. The new measure, the obstetric estimate of gestation at delivery (OE), replaces the measure based on the date of the last normal menses (LMP). This transition is being made because of increasing evidence of Read More >
Posted on bySerious Psychological Distress Among Adults: United States, 2009–2013
Serious psychological distress includes mental health problems severe enough to cause moderate-to-serious impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning and to require treatment. Data from the 2009–2013 National Health Interview Survey are used to estimate the prevalence of serious psychological distress—measured by a score of 13 or greater on the Kessler 6 (K6) nonspecific distress Read More >
Posted on byQuickStats: Percentage of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)–Related Deaths by Underlying Cause and Age Group — United States, 2013
The causes of injury that result in TBI-related deaths vary by age group. In 2013, 77% of the TBI-related deaths among infants aged <1 year were from causes other than transportation, firearms, or falls, and primarily resulted from assault and maltreatment. Transportation accounted for 53% of the TBI-related deaths among children aged 1–14 years. Firearm-related Read More >
Posted on bySTATE VITALS: NORTH CAROLINA
The state of North Carolina scores higher than the nation overall in births to unmarried mothers, preterm births, teen births and low birthweight. The state also has a higher homicide rate and higher mortality rate from drug overdose deaths than the national rate. However, the Tar Heel state has a larger proportion of its population with health insurance than the national average and a Read More >
Posted on byInsurance Status by State Medicaid Expansion Status: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, 2013–September 2014
Under the Affordable Care Act, states have the option to expand Medicaid coverage to all eligible persons with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Previous research has shown that there have already been significant decreases in the percentages of persons who were uninsured between 2013 and the first 9 months of Read More >
Posted on byMaternal Morbidity for Vaginal and Cesarean Deliveries, According to Previous Cesarean History: New Data From the Birth Certificate, 2013
A new NCHS report presents recent findings for 2013 on four maternal morbidities associated with labor and delivery—maternal transfusion, ruptured uterus, unplanned hysterectomy, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission—that are collected on birth certificates for a 41-state and District of Columbia reporting area, which represents 90% of all births in the United States. Key Findings from Read More >
Posted on byAssociation Between Diagnosed ADHD and Selected Characteristics Among Children Aged 4–17 Years: United States, 2011–2013
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder diagnosed in U.S. children. While this disorder is most often diagnosed in children when they are in elementary school, it is increasingly being identified in preschool children. A new NCHS report describes the prevalence of diagnosed ADHD among children aged 4–17 years using parent-reported data Read More >
Posted on byDental Caries and Tooth Loss in Adults in the United States, 2011–2012
Dental caries and tooth loss are important oral health indicators for adults and are key measures for monitoring progress toward health promotion goals set by Healthy People 2020. Although tooth decay and complete tooth loss have been declining in the United States since the 1960s, disparities have remained between some groups. As adults age, oral Read More >
Posted on byHepatitis Awareness Month
Immunization appears to have had a dramatic impact on controlling some forms of Hepatitis in the United States over the past two decades. In 1990, there were 31,441 new cases of Hepatitis A and 21,102 new cases of Hepatitis B reported in the U.S. Two decades later, the number of new cases has dropped dramatically: Read More >
Posted on byFood Allergy Action Month
May is Food Allergy Action Month. Food allergy is a potentially serious immune response to eating specific foods or food additives. Eight types of food account for over 90% of allergic reactions in affected individuals: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. Reactions to these foods by an allergic person can range Read More >
Posted on byAnnual Report on the Nation’s Health Spotlights 55-64 Year Age Group
This week, CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) released Health, United States, 2014, the 38th annual report from the HHS Secretary to the President and Congress on the health of the nation. This year’s report includes a special feature profiling the health of people 55-64 years old, the heart of the so-called “Baby Boomer” Read More >
Posted on byWhen Are Babies Born: Morning, Noon, or Night? Birth Certificate Data for 2013
As the use of medical interventions for childbirth (i.e., induction of labor and cesarean delivery) has increased during the last few decades, an increasing proportion of deliveries occur during regular daytime hours. Hospital personnel resources and maternal and newborn outcomes can be influenced by the time of day of delivery. Data on the time of Read More >
Posted on byTrends in Elevated Triglyceride in Adults: United States, 2001–2012
Elevated triglyceride is associated with cardiovascular disease. For adults aged 20 and over with elevated triglyceride, recommendations for therapeutic lifestyle changes include increased physical activity, weight loss, optimal nutrition-related practices, and smoking cessation. A new NCHS report shows trends in the percentage of U.S. adults aged 20 and over with elevated triglyceride (150 mg/dL or more) are Read More >
Posted on byDeaths From Unintentional Injury Among Adults Aged 65 and Over: United States, 2000–2013
Injury deaths place a large burden on society, and many of these deaths are preventable. In 2013, unintentional injuries were the eighth leading cause of death among U.S. adults aged 65 and over, resulting in nearly 46,000 deaths. NCHS has released a report that describes trends in unintentional injury deaths among this age group from 2000 Read More >
Posted on bySTATE VITALS: NEW YORK
The state of New York scores lower than the nation overall in births to unmarried mothers, preterm births and teen births. However, among the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, the empire state has mortality rates that are higher than the U.S. rates for the following causes: heart disease and influenza/pneumonia and kidney disease. Here is a list Read More >
Posted on byQuickStats: Age-Adjusted Rates for Suicide by Urbanization of County of Residence— United States, 2004 and 2013
The overall age-adjusted suicide rate was 11.0 deaths per 100,000 population in the United States in 2004 and 12.6 in 2013. From 2004 to 2013, the suicide rate increased in all county urbanization categories, with the smallest increase (7%) in large central metropolitan counties and the largest increases in small metropolitan, town/city (micropolitan) and Read More >
Posted on byInterpregnancy Intervals in the United States: Data From the Birth Certificate and the National Survey of Family Growth
A new NCHS report looks at data on interpregnancy intervals (IPI), defined as the timing between a live birth and conception of a subsequent live birth, from a subset of jurisdictions that adopted the 2003 revised birth certificate. The data contains births to residents of the 36 states and the District of Columbia (DC) that implemented the Read More >
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