Helping Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

HHS and CDC have developed a new project that will help improve health data collection for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. The information will be collected through the National Health Interview Survey conducted by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

CDC’s National Health Interview Survey is the nation’s largest in-person, household health survey providing information on individual health status, how to access and use health services, health insurance coverage issues, immunizations, risk factors, and health-related behaviors.

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders comprise just 0.4 percent of the total U.S. population. This makes it difficult to include them in sufficient numbers in most national population-based health surveys.

The lack of reliable health data for this population makes it difficult to access their health status and their healthcare utilization. However, the available data for this population indicates that they experience significant health disparities when compared to other groups.

The Survey will include a sample of approximately 4,000 households with data collection for the survey to begin February 2014 with findings available in the summer of 2015. “This project represents a significant milestone in the implementation of the “HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities” by making the data available on racial and ethnic minority populations,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health.

The data can play a crucial role in monitoring and improving the health of the nation. For example, Healthy People 2020 with a ten year agenda will be able to identify nationwide health improvement priorities and then use the information from the survey to track progress toward its targets.

Go to www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm for more information on the National Health Interview Survey.