Jennifer D. Parker Academy Health Annual Research Meeting June 10, 2008

1. Correspondence between interracial births and multiple race reporting in the National Health Interview Survey Jennifer D. Parker Academy Health Annual Research Meeting June 10, 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics

2. Background • In 1997 OMB guidelines for race and ethnicity included requirement for multiple race data collection and reporting within federal agencies • The National Health Interview Survey has allowed more than one race response since 1976; multiple race data included on in-house data files since 1997 • Interracial births increasing • ? What is the relationship between interracial births and multiple race reporting?

3. Objective • To examine the correspondence between multiple race reporting and interracial births in national data systems • How do trends in interracial births and multiple race reporting compare? • How many multiple race respondents in a survey would we expect given the number of interracial births? • Does this expectation differ by race combination? • How do interracial parents identify child’s race?

4. Data sources • Natality data 1968 – 2004 • National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 1997-2006 • All survey participants born in the U.S. from 1968 through 2004 • Children of interracial and multiple race parents NHIS 2002-2006 • Two biological parents in household

5. Percent multiple race reporting by NHIS survey year Multiple race Source: NHIS 1997-2006

6. Percent multiple race reporting by NHIS survey year Multiple race AIAN/white black/white API/white Source: NHIS 1997-2006 AIAN=American Indian/Alaska Native; API=Asian or Pacific Islander

7. Percent multiple race reporting by NHIS survey year, all respondents and those born 1968-2004 Born 1968-2004 All respondents Source: NHIS 1997-2006

8. Percent interracial births and multiple race reporting by year of birth Interracial births Multiple race Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

9. Percent black/white interracial births and multiple race reporting by year of birth Interracial births Multiple race Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

10. Percent AIAN/white interracial births and multiple race reporting by year of birth Multiple race Interracial births AIAN=American Indian/Alaska Native Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

11. Percent API/white interracial births and multiple race reporting by year of birth Interracial births Multiple race API=Asian or Pacific Islander Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

12. Expected and observed percent multiple race reporting in the NHIS for respondents born 1968 through 2004 Expected Observed Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

13. Expected and observed percent black-white multiple race reporting in the NHIS for respondents born 1968 through 2004 Expected Observed Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

14. Expected and observed percent AIAN-white multiple race reporting in the NHIS for respondents born 1968 through 2004 Observed Expected AIAN=American Indian/Alaska Native Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

15. Expected and observed percent API/white multiple race reporting in the NHIS for respondents born 1968 through 2004 Expected Observed API=Asian or Pacific Islander Source: Natality Files 1968-2004 and NHIS 1997-2006

16. Child’s reported race, by parent’s racechildren with one white and one black parent white/black black white/black white black white Source: NHIS 2002-2006

17. Child’s reported race, by parent’s racechildren with one white and one AIAN parent AIAN AIAN/white white AIAN AIAN/white white Source: NHIS 2002-2006

18. Child’s reported race, by parent’s racechildren with one white and one API parent API/white API/white white white API API Source: NHIS 2002-2006

19. Child’s reported race, by parent’s race children with one or two multiple race parents white AIAN/wht black/white white API/wht blk white API AIAN Source: NHIS 2002-2006

20. There are several issues that make the preceding comparisons “ballpark” • Data collection for race changed between 1968-2004 • Hispanic populations have increased; race reporting by Hispanics may complicate these comparisons • Procedures for missing race and Other race differed between data sources and over time • Missing father’s race on vital statistics increased over time and underestimates interracial births • Combining 1997-2006 NHIS for birth-year analysis ignores reporting trends • No variances were estimated for the percentages; no statistical tests were done

21. Conclusions • Interracial births do not correspond to multiple race reporting in the NHIS and comparisons differ among race groups • Black/white and API/white report > 1 race less often than expected by birth records • Comparisons for AIAN/white vary by age • Interracial parents do not consistently report one race, the other, or both for their children

22. Acknowledgement • Catherine Duran provided invaluable programming assistance