U.S. Adult Mortality and Health Trends in an International Context
Eileen Crimmins, professor of gerontology and sociology at the Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California and the Director of Training, Multidisciplinary Research Training in Gerontology, talked with PRB about life expectancy in the U.S. compared with other countries; the reasons for differing mortality trends; and the effects of lifestyle, behavior, and the health care system on mortality. This webcast is underwritten by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, Behavioral and Social Research Unit, through a grant from the University of Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging. Funding has also been provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. (April 2009)

The Effect of Smoking on Trends in U.S Mortality at Older Ages
Samuel Preston is the Fredrick J. Warren professor of demography, Population Aging Research Center, at the University of Pennsylvania. Preston talked with PRB about the current rates of smoking in the United States and its contribution to mortality in the United States and other developed countries. This webcast is underwritten by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, Behavioral and Social Research Unit, through a grant from the University of Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging. Funding has also been provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. (April 2009)

Economic Recession Presents Further Challenges to Uninsured Children in the United States
One in every 10 children in the United States had no health insurance in 2007, and the cost of insurance to families and employers is rising, according to a new report by the Institute of Medicine. America’s Uninsured Crisis: Consequences for Health and Health Care documents an increasing burden on families with children. The economic recession further strains families' resources to provide care for their children. As costs and unemployment rise, employer-sponsored health care is becoming less of a guarantee for families. (April 2009)

Cognitive Impairment and Decline: Interview With Kenneth Langa, University of Michigan
With continued population aging—the number of Americans ages 65 or older is projected to swell from around 41 million to 65 million over the next 15 years—the loss of cognitive function among some older Americans foreshadows a potentially enormous social and economic burden on individuals, families, communities, and the nation. In this interview, Kenneth Langa, University of Michigan School of Medicine and Institute for Social Research, discusses cognitive impairment and its causes, trends, and effects in the United States. He warns that certain trends may adversely affect the brain health of Americans, especially rising obesity rates and a consequent increase in diabetes, which is also associated with declining cognitive function among older adults. (April 2009)

How the 2010 Census is Different
The 2010 Census will enumerate the resident population of the United States as of April 1, 2010. The census will include everyone living in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. People will be counted at their usual place of residence on April 1, 2010. (April 2009)

The 2010 Census Questionnaire: Seven Questions for Everyone
The 2010 Census questionnaire will be sent to every housing unit in the country. The person in who fills out the form (Person 1) will provide the household information, including whether the home is rented or owned, and will answer just seven questions about every household member. (April 2009)

Geographic Areas Covered in the American Community Survey
The ACS data are tabulated for a variety of different geographic areas ranging in size from broad geographic regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West) to neighborhoods and clusters of city blocks. One-year estimates are currently available for geographic areas with at least 65,000 people, including regions, divisions, states, DC, Puerto Rico, Congressional districts, Public Use Microdata Areas, and many large counties, metropolitan areas, cities, school districts, and American Indian areas. (April 2009)

Differences Between the ACS and Decennial Census
While the main function of the U.S. decennial census is to provide counts of people for the purpose of Congressional apportionment, the primary purpose of the ACS is to measure the changing social and economic characteristics of the U.S. population. As a result, the ACS does not provide official counts of the population in between censuses. Instead, the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Estimates program will continue to be the official source for annual population totals, by age, race, Hispanic origin, and gender. (April 2009)

How the American Community Survey Works
The American Community Survey (ACS) samples nearly 3 million addresses each year, resulting in nearly 2 million final interviews. The annual ACS sample is much smaller than that of the Census 2000 long-form sample, which included about 18 million housing units. As a result, the ACS needs to combine population or housing data from multiple years to produce reliable numbers for small counties, neighborhoods, and other local areas. To provide information for communities each year, the ACS will provide one-year, three-year, and five-year estimates of data. (April 2009)

Who Uses the ACS and Why?
The American Community Survey puts up-to-date information about important social issues at the fingertips of people who need it, including policymakers, researchers, businesses and nongovernmental organizations, journalists, teachers, students, and the public. (April 2009)