The American Community Survey: Statement of Linda Jacobsen Before Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress
Statement of Linda Jacobsen, vice president, Domestic Programs at PRB, before the Joint Economic Committee, U.S. Congress, on "The Federal Statistical System in the 21st Century: The Role of the Census Bureau." (July 2009)

The U.S. Recession and the Birth Rate
Speculation has been rife in the media on the possible effect of the current recession on the U.S. birth rate. Unemployment is approaching 10 percent for the first time in over a quarter century, the housing "bubble" has truly burst, banks and industries have gone bankrupt, and consumer confidence has reached one of its lowest points in the past 50 years. The U.S. birth rate has exhibited some remarkable swings over the past 80 years, but will it decline in response to this current stark economic reality? (July 2009)

2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book Shows 900,000 More Children in U.S. Living in Poverty
The 20th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book calls for improvements to the country's ability to design and evaluate programs and policies aimed at the needs of U.S. children and families living in poverty. The 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book is complemented by a new online and mobile-friendly Data Center that contains hundreds of measures of child well-being covering national, state, county, and city information. Visitors to the website can access customizable graphs and geographic profiles on education, economic well-being, the number of children in immigrant families, health, and many more topics. (July 2009)

How Is the Economic Recession Affecting U.S. Children? The 2009 Child Well-Being Index
The annual Child Well-Being Index, calculated by the Foundation for Child Development and Youth Well-Being Index Project at Duke University, assesses the overall well-being of children in the United States. The 2009 CWI finds that progress in the quality of life for America's children has fluctuated since 2002 and began a decline in 2008. This year, for the first time, the project issued a special focus report that looks at the possible effects of the current economic recession on children through 2010, with a particular emphasis on the effects on young children. (July 2009)

Health Effect of Marriage and Other Social Relationships: Interview With Linda Waite
Social relationships keep older people healthy, and the marriage relationship is especially beneficial. A growing body of research helps explain how social interaction interacts with social, physical, and psychological factors that affect an individual's health, and the importance of maintaining social networks and relationships later in life. Sociologist and demographer Linda Waite discussed her research on these interactions with PRB. (June 2009)

Social Support, Networks, and Happiness
This e-newsletter is the 17th in a series funded by the University of Michigan Demography Center. This issue, "Social Support, Networks, and Happiness," reviews research sponsored by the National Institute of Aging, and other research, on the relationships between aging and social connections. (June 2009)

The Changing Demography of U.S. Flight Attendants
Over the last several decades, many industries have experienced significant structural changes that have affected their employees. The airline industry, for example, has faced major policy and economic forces that have changed the demography of its workers, especially its flight attendants. Flight attendants have become older compared with the overall U.S. workforce over the last several decades. The ongoing economic crisis suggests that the population of flight attendants will age even more in the coming years as many workers are likely to postpone their retirement. (June 2009)

U.S. Hispanic and Asian Population Growth Levels Off
U.S. Asian and Hispanic/Latino population growth rates have started to slow, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Latinos and Asians are still the country's two fastest-growing minority groups, but their growth rates have slipped below the peaks reported earlier in the decade. This slowdown could dampen U.S. racial and ethnic change in the coming years. (May 2009)

Effects of Early Life on Elderly Health
This e-newsletter is the 16th in a series funded by the University of Michigan Demography Center. This issue, "Effects of Early Life on Elderly Health," reviews research sponsored by the National Institute of Aging, and other research, on the effects of early life on adult and elderly health. (April 2009)

What You Need to Know About the 2010 U.S. Census
With one year to go before the 2010 U.S. Census, what measures are being taken to ensure that Americans participate? How will technology such as handheld GPS systems be used to gather data? Why is the census so important to foundations and nonprofits? What interests and concerns does Congress have? These questions and others were addressed at a policy seminar at PRB on the preparation, challenges, and opportunities of the upcoming census. The seminar also provided a platform for the launch of PRB's Census 2010 coverage. (April 2009)