Recorded presentation

Erin B. Reidy, MA, OAEHP, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Rd., Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301-458-4493, eir5@cdc.gov

The first goal of Healthy People 2010 is to increase the quality and years of healthy life. This research uses multiple summary measures of health to assess the quality and years of healthy life in the United States. Good health is a dynamic process, and not limited to a single dimension of health. Thus, the use of multiple indicators of health provides a more comprehensive description of health status. Further, in using multiple measures, this research will aid in determining the meaning of changes in general health measures. In order to provide a broad picture of health, the following selected measures are used: years of life in good or better health, years of life without disability, years of life without selected chronic diseases, and years of life with good health behaviors. Using multiple decrement life table techniques, this research examines trends in selected summary measures of health to assess the progress towards Goal 1 of Healthy People 2010. Analyses are based on 1997 and 2001 mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), and 1997 and 2001 health status data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Midyear population estimates come from the Census Bureau. Results are displayed by age groups, sex, race/ethnicity, and where applicable according to socioeconomic status. While only very small changes in health can be expected during such a brief analytic period, this research sets the groundwork for future investigations concerning the improvement in the quality and years of healthy life.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the selected summary measures of health used to assess Goal 1 of Healthy People 2010.
• Describe overall trends and differences by demographic characteristics in the progress towards Goal 1 of Healthy People 2010.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employed with group that produces statistics for Healthy People 2010

Recorded presentation