| **National Center    for     Health Statistics            Division of Data     Services            6525 Belcrest Road     Hyattsville, MD     20782-2003     (301)458-4636      **

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**Minority Health**

For several decades, NCHS has held a    leadership role in highlighting the health of racial and ethnic populations in the United    States, and in calling attention to the significant differences that exist between various    population groups. 

NCHS data programs provide the    statistics to profile the health of minority populations in the United States. Vital    statistics provide information on life expectancy, infant mortality, and patterns of birth    by prenatal care and birth weight. Other data to determine the prevalence of major chronic    conditions -- such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, and the use of hospital    and physician services -- are provided through health surveys. In general, all NCHS data    systems can make estimates for the black and Hispanic populations, but are limited in    their ability to provide data for Asian or Pacific Islanders, and for American Indians or    Alaskan Natives. NCHS is continuing its efforts to improve the availability of data for    minority populations. These efforts include oversampling of minority populations in NCHS    surveys to improve the precision of the estimates made based on the collected data;    modification of coding methodologies to provide data for subpopulations of the broader    racial and ethnic groups; and increased publication of data for racial and ethnic minority    populations. NCHS has conducted the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that    includes a range of data on chronic conditions, disability, growth, and physical    development. 

As a result of legislation passed in    1990, an **extramural grants program**    to improve minority statistics was established by NCHS. Grants were authorized for the    support of studies to fill in gaps where national surveys cannot provide sufficient data;    analysis of existing data; and research to improve methods for obtaining information on    racial and ethnic subpopulations. 

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This page last reviewed February 02, 2000

**U.S.    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES****Centers    for Disease Control and Prevention**    National Center for Health Statistics    Division of Data Services     Hyattsville, MD    20782-2003    (301) 458-4636
 

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