NCHS: A Blog of the National Center for Health Statistics
STATE VITALS: WYOMING
Wyoming ranks 41st in the U.S. in births to unmarried mothers (35.5% of all births) and cesarean delivery rates (27% of all birhts). The state’s marriage rate is also higher than the overall U.S. rate (7.8 marriages per 1,000 population vs. 6.8 per 1,000 nationally). However, among the ten leading causes of death in the U.S., Wyoming mortality Read More >
Posted on byFact or Fiction: Is Nevada the Marriage Capital of the U.S.?
Las Vegas has earned – for better or worse – a reputation for quick weddings. The city came to be known as the Marriage Capital of the World as a result of the ease of acquiring a marriage license and the minimal costs involved. Las Vegas comprises a large part of Clark County, where the Read More >
Posted on byInfant Mortality Statistics
A new report presents 2010 period infant mortality statistics from the linked birth/infant death data set (linked file) by maternal and infant characteristics. The linked file differs from the mortality file that is based entirely on death certificate data. Key Findings from the Report: The U.S. infant mortality rate was 6.14 infant deaths per 1,000 Read More >
Posted on byFathers’ Involvement With Their Children
A new NCHS report measures fathers’ involvement with their children. Father involvement is measured by how often a man participated in a set of activities in the last 4 weeks with children who were living with him and with children who were living apart from him. Involvement is measured separately for children aged 0–4 years Read More >
Posted on bySTATE VITALS: VERMONT
Vermont has the lowest preterm birth rate in the country (8.8% of all births) and a significantly lower rate than the U.S. as a whole (11.7%). The state’s teen birth rate is also lower than the overall U.S. rate (16.8% vs. 31.3%). Vermont has the 10th lowest low birthweight rate in the U.S. However, among the ten Read More >
Posted on byHomes with only Wireless Telephones Continues to Grow
Two new reports on wireless telephones show that percentage of adults and children living in households that do not have a landline telephone but have at least one wireless telephone have gone up. The first report shows preliminary results from the January–June 2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) on wireless telephones. The report found that two in Read More >
Posted on byFeasibility Files Help Researchers Manage Scope
NCHS’ record linkage program gives researchers a valuable resource, enabling them to take the “long view” and examine the factors that influence disability, chronic disease, health care utilization, morbidity, and mortality. Researchers also have another tool to determine the scope of available research, saving them time and even providing an opportunity to assess data before Read More >
Posted on byCharles Rothwell Named NCHS Director
Charles Rothwell has been appointed Director of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the Nation’s principal health statistics agency and a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mr. Rothwell succeeds Dr. Edward Sondik, who retired as NCHS Director in April, 2013. He becomes the Center’s seventh director since its inception Read More >
Posted on byHealth Insurance Coverage and Adverse Experiences With Physician Availability in the US
Rates of private insurance and public coverage have been increasing. As coverage and utilization increase, a growing concern is the availability of health care providers to meet patient needs. Almost 90% of general physicians accept new patients with private insurance, but less than 75% accept new patients with public coverage (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid), and the Read More >
Posted on byNational Study of Long-Term Care Providers Report
NCHS has released the first in a series of NSLTCP reports today. Long-Term Care Services in the United States: 2013 Overview includes general, descriptive information on the supply, organizational characteristics, staffing, and services offered by providers of long-term care services; and the demographic, health, and functional characteristics of users of these services. The report shows Read More >
Posted on byMeasures of Muscular Strength in U.S. Children and Adolescents
In 2008, the federal government released the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which provide guidance on the types and amounts of physical activities that provide substantial health benefits for Americans of all ages. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of many adverse health outcomes and helps control the percentage of body fat in children and Read More >
Posted on byWinter Injuries
With winter now upon us, several storms have already hit much of the country with dangerous snow and ice. The wintery conditions can result in injuries that often lead to hospitalizations that are sometimes fatal. The impact on society is direct in terms of medical costs and indirect in terms of lost productivity. There is a wealth of NCHS data that Read More >
Posted on byAsk the Expert: Dr. Julia Holmes, Health, United States
Since 1975, Health, United States has presented national trends on the health of the Nation, including infant mortality, life expectancy, morbidity and health status, risk factors such as smoking and obesity, utilization of health care, health insurance coverage, supply of health care resources, and national expenditures for health. Compiled annually by the National Center for Read More >
Posted on byPublic-use Data Files Program Balances Data Demand and Confidentiality
NCHS’ public-use data file service gives researchers access to datasets, documentation, and questionnaires from NCHS surveys and data collection systems. Free and downloadable from the NCHS website, public-use data files allow researchers to manipulate the data in a format appropriate for their analyses. Dr. Eve Powell-Griner, NCHS Confidentiality Officer, says public-use data files are central Read More >
Posted on byTrends in Insurance Coverage and Source of Private Coverage Among Young Adults
NCHS has put a report that provides estimates describing the previous insurance status and sources of coverage among privately insured young adults aged 19–25, using data from the 2008–2012 National Health Interview Survey. Comparisons are made with adults aged 26–34, the most similar age group that was not affected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision. Young Read More >
Posted on byMotor Vehicle Deaths
The recent news that Paul Walker, the star of the “Fast & Furious” movie series, was killed in a car crash has generated interest from the public into data on motor vehicle fatalities. Though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is the main source of information about traffic accidents and fatalities in the U.S., the Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentRecent Trends in Births and Fertility Rates Through June 2013
NCHS has released a Health E- Stat that gives a provisional count of birth in the United States. The provisional count of births in the U.S. for the 12-month period ending June 2013 was 3,941,000, which was not significantly different from the 3,944,000 births (provisional count) for the 12-month period ending June 2012 . The Read More >
Posted on byPregnancy Rates for U.S. Women Continue to Drop
NCHS has released a report that provides a comprehensive picture of pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy rates for women in the United States continued to decline in 2009, reaching the lowest level in 12 years (102.1 per 1,000 women aged 15–44). This level is 12% below the 1990 peak (115.8). The estimated number of pregnancies Read More >
Posted on byMore Than 6% of U.S. Adolescents Take Psychotropic Drugs
A new report released by NCHS provides the estimate of any psychotropic medication use in the past month among U.S. noninstitutionalized adolescents aged 12–19 during 2005–2010, using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Psychotropic medication is a type of drug used to treat clinical psychiatric symptoms or mental disorders. Specific psychotropic drug types Read More >
Posted on byMore Drug Overdose Deaths in Rural America Than Urban Counties
Drug overdose deaths are on the rise, and from 1999 to 2009 rural U.S. counties saw a larger jump in these drug-poisoning deaths than their urban counterparts. While the highest death rates were seen in central metropolitan areas during this period, the rate grew by 394% in rural counties compared to a 279% spike for large Read More >
Posted on byEarly Release Program Races to Publish Timely Survey Results
From among the many challenges that the National Health Insurance Survey (NHIS) has faced over the past 56 years since it first went into the field, one of the most daunting has been how to publish valid results in a timely manner without compromising the quality of the data. For Dr. Jane Gentleman and her Read More >
Posted on byDementia Special Care Units at Residential Care Communities
Assisted living and similar residential care communities provide an alternative to nursing homes for individuals with dementia who can no longer live independently. In 2010, about 42% of individuals living in residential care communities had Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. Individuals with dementia can live in residential care communities that have dementia special care units, Read More >
Posted on byStatistics on Statin Use
High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Nearly 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. Every year about 715,000 Americans have a heart attack and the costs of coronary heart disease alone costs the Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentDirector’s Corner—The Importance of Privacy
With all the recent concerns about the collection and use of information gathered by the National Security Agency and other agencies both public and private, I think it is an appropriate time to go over the responsibilities of a federal statistical agency like NCHS. NCHS and all other federal statistical agencies are governed by four Read More >
Posted on byHigh Blood Pressure Affects Almost a Third of U.S. Adults
A new report from NCHS shows that hypertension affects almost one-third of the U.S. adult population. In 2009–2010, nearly 82% of adults with hypertension were aware of their status, and nearly 76% were taking medication. Despite considerable improvement in increasing the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension among minority groups remains Read More >
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