1 Risk Factors for Children in the U.S., States, and Metropolitan Areas: Data from the 2007 American Community Survey Robert Kominski, U.S. Census Bureau Diana B. Elliott, U.S. Census Bureau Molly Clever, University of Maryland Session 186: ACS in Applied Demography PAA – 2009 Annual Meeting Detroit, Michigan

2 Estimating Child Well-Being Lots of research efforts Annie E. Casey, Child Trends, Federal Interagency Forum Foundation for Child Development/Ken Land Many data sources – some integrated, some not

3 What is the goal? Portraying the status of children Use indicators – link to “domains” Some summarize scores (102.5), others do not See variability over groups, time and space Geography is a problem – US is often the best we can do

4 Geographic Specificity Very few data systems at sub-national level Some sub-national data in administrative systems But – these sometimes lack definitional comparability

5 Solution? Consistent data source Wide variety of measures Collected routinely For various subgroups Across various levels of geography American Community Survey (ACS)?

6 ACS Part of redesigned 2010 decennial census Long-form data moved to continuous data collection 250,000 households/month in sample Yearly data/estimates for geographic units of 65,000+ (7000) 3- and 5-yr collections for smaller units (20,000+, tracts) Data reissued ANNUALLY

7 This Study Data from the 2007 ACS 1,055,000 sample kids (73,590,243 weighted), ages 0-17 Households and Group Quarters Data for all States and 363 Metro Areas 65K+ Those 363 MSA’s are 84% of all kids 0-17

8 Indicators No data set is fully complete Identified 22 items in ACS data Focus on ‘risk’ – conditions that might negatively affect children Four domains: Individual; Familial/Household; Economic; Physical Environment Some subjectivity and redundancy

9 22 Risk Factors Individual Familial and Household Economic Physical Environment Presence of disabilitySingle parent householdReceives food stampsOvercrowded household Presence of multiple disabilities Linguistically isolated household Household receives public assistance Household lacks complete kitchen Not enrolled in school – not HS grad Non-English speaking household Household below poverty Household lacks complete plumbing Speaks English less than very well Parent(s) foreign born; in U.S. 5 years or less No employed parent in household Rented home Child is foreign born; in U.S. 5 years or less Parent(s) has less than high school education Chronic unemployment in household Not a single family home Cared for by grandparent Cared for by grandparent for 3 or more years

10 Figure 1: Number of Children by Number of Risk Factors (2007), in millions Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 Number of Risk Factors Number of Children, in millions

11 Figure 2: Percentage of Children with Each Risk Factor (2007) Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 Individual Familial/HH Economic Phys Environ.

12 Figure 3: Mean Risk Factors for Children by Selected Social Characteristics (2007) Hispanic U.S. Mean: Not Hispanic 4.03 – Other race 2.29 – Two or more races 3.08 – Nat. Hawaiian/Pac. Isl Asian 3.25 – Amer. Ind./Alaska Nat – Black White 2.37 – 0 to 4 year olds 2.27 – 5 to 9 year olds to 13 year olds to 17 year olds Boys Girls Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 Race Hispanic Age Group Sex

13 Figure 4: Percentage of Children with No Risk Factors by Selected Social Characteristics (2007) 9.1% - Hispanic U.S.: 31.5% 37.4% - Not Hispanic 6.5% – Other race 25.7% – Two or more races 9.8% – Nat. Hawaiian/Pac. Isl. 19.2% - Asian 12.3% – Amer. Ind./Alaska Nat. 13.1% – Black 40.0% - White 28.0% - 0 to 4 year olds 31.9% - 5 to 9 year olds 33.7% - 10 to 13 year olds 33.3% - 14 to 17 year olds 31.4% - Boys 31.7% - Girls Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 Race Hispanic Age Group Sex

14 Figure 5: Percentage of Children with 8 or More Risk Factors by Selected Social Characteristics (2007) 8.6% - Hispanic U.S.: 3.0% 1.5% - Not Hispanic 10.0% – Other race 2.4% – Two or more races 5.4% – Nat. Hawaiian/Pac. Isl. 4.1% - Asian 4.2% – Amer. Ind./Alaska Nat. 4.0% – Black 1.9% - White 2.7% - 0 to 4 year olds 3.8% - 5 to 9 year olds 3.0% - 10 to 13 year olds 2.5% - 14 to 17 year olds 3.0% - Boys 3.0% - Girls Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 Race Hispanic Age Group Sex

15 Mean risk factors: States and Metros Metros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 States U.S. Mean: 2.2

16 No risk factors: States and Metros Metros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 States U.S. Average: 31.5%

17 8+ risk factors: States and Metros Metros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 States U.S. Average: 3.0%

18 Individual risk factors: States and Metros Metros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 States U.S. Average: 17.0%

19 Familial and household risk factors: States and Metros Metros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 States U.S. Average: 52.0%

20 Economic risk factors: States and Metros Metros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 States U.S. Average: 27.1%

21 Physical risk factors: States and Metros StatesMetros Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2007 Less than 40% 40.0 to 49.9% 50.0 to 54.9% 55.0 to 59.9% 60% or more U.S. Average: 44.1%

22 Summary Analysis shows risk is not evenly distributed across groups or space High geography (state) hides variability at lower levels (metros) While the ACS is not perfect, content comparability, geographic specificity and temporal regularity are BIG plusses

23 Contact Information U.S. Census Bureau Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division Robert Kominski Diana B. Elliott