Births: Final Data for 2014

December 23, 2015

NCHS has released a new report that presents 2014 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics.

Data are presented for maternal age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, attendant at birth, method of delivery, period of gestation, birthweight,and plurality.

Birth and fertility rates are presented by age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, and marital status.

Key Findings:

  • In 2014, 3,988,076 births were registered in the United States, up 1% from 2013.
  • The general fertility rate rose slightly to 62.9 per 1,000 women aged 15–44, the first increase in the rate since 2007.
  • The teen birth rate fell 9% from 2013 to 2014, to 24.2 per 1,000 females aged 15–19.
  • Birth rates declined for women in their early 20s but increased for women aged 25–39.
  • The total fertility rate (estimated number of births over a woman’s lifetime) rose slightly to 1,862.5 births per 1,000 women.
  • The birth rate for unmarried women declined for the sixth straight year.
  • The cesarean delivery rate declined to 32.2%.
  • The preterm birth rate declined 1% to 9.57%, but the low birthweight rate was essentially unchanged at 8%.
  • The 2014 twin birth rate was 33.9 per 1,000 births, a new high for the United States; the triplet and higher-order multiple birth rate dropped 5% to 113.5 per 100,000 total births.

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Abnormal Cholesterol Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2011–2014

December 11, 2015

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death among adults in the United States.

To improve the cardiovascular health of the U.S. population, clinical practice guidelines recommend screening children and adolescents for risk factors associated with CVD, including abnormal blood cholesterol levels.

An NCHS report provides 2011–2014 estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on the prevalence of high total cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and high non-HDL cholesterol among children and adolescents aged 6–19.

Findings:

  • One in five youths had high total cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, or high non-HDL cholesterol.
  • Prevalence of low HDL cholesterol (13.4%) was greater than high non-HDL cholesterol (8.4%) or high total cholesterol (7.4%).
  • Prevalence of high total cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and high non-HDL cholesterol was greater in adolescents than children.
  • Girls had higher prevalence than boys for high total cholesterol and high non-HDL cholesterol, but lower prevalence for low HDL cholesterol.
  • Youth with obesity had greater prevalence of high total cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, and high non-HDL cholesterol than youth of normal weight.

 

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Posted by briantsai

Mortality in the United States, 2014

December 9, 2015

A new NCHS report presents 2014 U.S. final mortality data on deaths and death rates by demographic and medical characteristics.

These data provide information on mortality patterns among U.S. residents by such variables as sex, race and ethnicity, and cause of death. Information on mortality patterns is key to understanding changes in the health and well-being of the U.S. population.

Life expectancy estimates, age-adjusted death rates by race and ethnicity and sex, the 10 leading causes of death, and the 10 leading causes of infant death were analyzed by comparing 2014 final data with 2013 final data.

Findings:

  • Life expectancy for the U.S. population in 2014 was unchanged from 2013 at 78.8 years.
  • The age-adjusted death rate decreased 1.0% to 724.6 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2014 from 731.9 in 2013.
  • The 10 leading causes of death in 2014 remained the same as in 2013. Age-adjusted death rates significantly decreased for 5 leading causes and significantly increased for 4 leading causes.
  • The infant mortality rate decreased 2.3% to a historic low of 582.1 infant deaths per 100,000 live births. The 10 leading causes of infant death in 2014 remained the same as in 2013.

 

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Posted by briantsai

STATE VITALS: Oregon

December 4, 2015

The state of Oregon scores lower than the nation overall in births to unmarried mothers, cesarean deliveries, preterm births and low birthweight. .

However, the beaver state has mortality rates that are higher than the U.S. rates for the following causes: cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, accidents, Alzheimer’s Disease, diabetes, and suicide.

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Posted by briantsai

Number of American Homes with Wireless Only Telephones Continues to Grow

December 1, 2015

NCHS has released a new report with data from the National Health Interview Survey Early Release Program looking at selected estimates of telephone coverage for the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population

The estimates use January–June 2015 data and are based on in-person interviews that are conducted throughout the year to collect information on health status, health-related behaviors, and health care access and utilization. The survey also includes information about household telephones and whether anyone in the household has a wireless telephone.

Findings:

  • Nearly one-half of American homes (47.4%) had only wireless telephones (also known as cellular telephones, cell phones, or mobile phones) during the first half of 2015—an increase of 3.4 percentage points since the first half of 2014.
  • More than two-thirds of all adults aged 25-34 and of adults renting their homes were living in wireless-only households.

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Total and High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Adults: United States, 2011–2014

December 1, 2015

High levels of total cholesterol and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”) are risk factors for coronary heart disease. During 2009–2010, 13.4% of adults had high total cholesterol and 21.3% had low HDL cholesterol.

An NCHS report presents estimates of the percentage of adults with high total and low HDL cholesterol during 2011–2014, and trends in prevalence of high total and low HDL cholesterol from 2007–2008 to 2013–2014. Analysis is based on measured cholesterol only and does not account for cholesterol-lowering medication use.

Findings:

  • During 2011–2014, 12.1% of adults had high total cholesterol and 18.5% had low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
  • The prevalence of high total cholesterol was lower in non-Hispanic black men than in non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic men, and lower in non-Hispanic black women than in non-Hispanic white and Hispanic women.
  • Low HDL cholesterol prevalence was lower in non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic Asian men and women than in Hispanic men and women; in non-Hispanic black men and women than in non-Hispanic white men and women; and in non-Hispanic Asian women than in non-Hispanic white women.
  • From 2007 to 2014, the percentage of adults with high total and low HDL cholesterol declined.

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Posted by briantsai