Methodologic implications of allocating multiple-race data to single-race categories.
OBJECTIVE
To illustrate methods for comparing race data collected under the 1977 Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive, known as OMB-15, with race data collected under the revised 1997 OMB standard.


METHODS
Secondary data from the 1993-95 National Health Interview Surveys. Multiple-race responses, available on in-house files, were analyzed.


METHODS
Race-specific estimates of employer-sponsored health insurance were calculated using proposed allocation methods from the OMB. Estimates were calculated overall and for three population subgroups: children, those in households below poverty, and Hispanics.


RESULTS
Although race distributions varied between the different methods, estimates of employer-sponsored health insurance were similar. Health insurance estimates for the American Indian/Alaska Native group varied the most.


CONCLUSIONS
Employer-sponsored health insurance estimates for American Indian/Alaska Natives from data collected under the 1977 OMB directive will not be comparable with estimates from data collected under the 1997 standard. The selection of a method to distribute to the race categories used prior to the 1997 revision will likely have little impact on estimates of employer-sponsored health insurance for other groups. Additional research is needed to determine the effects of these methods for other health service measures.
Parker
Jennifer D
JD
Division of Health Utilization and Analysis, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA.
Makuc
Diane M
DM
D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000145:classification*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology