A
Ambulatory Disability (ACS): In the ACS, individuals five or more years old who responded "yes" when asked if they had "serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs."
American Community Survey (ACS): The American Community Survey is a large, continuous demographic survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that will provide accurate and up-to-date profiles of America's communities every year. Annual and multi year estimates of population and housing data are generated for small areas, including tracts and population subgroups. This information is collected by mailing questionnaires to a sample of addresses.
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B
Base Population: The sum of a population or an estimate used as the root for evaluation purposes. Typically, the last census count or the estimate from a previous date is used.
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS): The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. BRFSS was established in 1984 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); currently data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. More than 350,000 adults are interviewed each year, making the BRFSS the largest telephone health survey in the world. States use BRFSS data to identify emerging health problems, establish and track health objectives, and develop and evaluate public health policies and programs. Many states also use BRFSS data to support health-related legislative efforts.
Binge Drinking (BRFSS): Respondents were asked "[c]onsidering all types of alcoholic beverages, how many times during the past 30 days did you have [5, if male respondent] [4, if female respondents] or more drinks on an occasion?" Respondents who reported doing so at least one time were consider to have engaged in binge drinking.
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C
Civilian: A person not in active-duty military.
Cognitive Disability (ACS): In the ACS, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they had "serious difficulty remembering, or making decisions."
Current Population Survey-Basic Monthly (CPS-BMS): The Current Population Survey Basic Monthly Survey is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This survey is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the United States population and provides estimates for the nation as a whole. The sample is scientifically selected to represent the civilian non-institutionalized population. Individuals are asked questions about the employment status of each member of the household 15 years of age and older, but published data only focuses on those ages 16 and over. Estimates obtained from the CPS-BMS include employment, unemployment, earnings, hours of work, and other indicators.
Current Population Survey (CPS-ASEC): The Current Population Survey-Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC) is an annual survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. This survey is the primary source of information on the income, poverty, and health insurance. It also asks about employment in the previous calendar year. The sample for the CPS-ASEC is drawn from the sample of the CPS-BMS. The CPS-ASEC is also known as the CPS March Supplement and the CPS Income Supplement.
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D
Disability Status (ACS): The U.S. Census Bureau used six questions to identify persons with disabilities. A response of "yes" to any one of the questions indicates that the person in question has a disability-vision, hearing, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living. However, the questions related to cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living are not used to identify disability in individuals less than five years old, and the question related to independent living is not used to identify disability in individuals less than 18 years old.
Disability Status (BRFSS): An individual is classified as having a disability based on answers to the following questions: (1) Are you limited in any way in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems? and (2) Do you now have any health problem that requires you to use special equipment, such as a cane, a wheelchair, a special bed, or a special telephone (include occasional use or use in certain circumstances)?
Disability Status (CPS-BMS & CPS-ASEC): The CPS program uses a set of six questions to identify persons with disabilities. A response of "yes" to any one of the questions indicates that the person in question has a disability. The disability questions appear in the CPS in the following format:
Enrollment Gap: The difference between the total number of individuals associated with a particular population and the number of individuals from that population group that are employed.
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G
Go-Outside-Home Disability (ACS): An individual with difficulty going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting at least six months.
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H
Hearing Disability (ACS): In the ACS, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if they were "deaf or ... [had] serious difficulty hearing."
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I
Income (ACS): The sum of all wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and tips; self-employment income from own non-farm and farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships; interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, and income from estates and trusts; Social Security and Railroad Retirement income; Supplemental Security Income; any public assistance and welfare payments from the state and local welfare office; retirement, survivor, and disability pensions; and any other sources received regularly such as veterans' payments, unemployment compensation, child support, and alimony.
Income Maintenance Programs: Government programs that provide direct financial assistance
to needy individuals, families, and/or households. Examples include Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families and general assistance.
Independent Living Disability (ACS): In the ACS, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they had difficulty "doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor's office or shopping."
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): A law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants,
toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Infants and toddlers with disabilities (ages birth through two) and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA, Part C. Children and youth (ages three through 21) receive special education and related services under IDEA, Part B.
Influenza Vaccination (BRFSS): A flu vaccine injected or administered into the body. Individuals were categorized based on answers to the following questions: (1) A flu shot is an influenza vaccine injected into your arm. Have you had a flu shot? and (2) Have you had a flu vaccine that was sprayed in your nose? The flu vaccine sprayed in the nose is also called FluMist
TM.
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L
Labor Force (CPS-BMS & CPS-ASEC): All persons classified as employed or unemployed.
Labor Force Participation Rate (CPS-BMS & CPS-ASEC): The labor force as a percent of the civilian non-institutionalized population.
Labor Market Attachment (CPS-ASEC): A person is considered to be attached to the labor market if he or she worked at least at least 52 hours in the calendar year prior to the survey.
Labor Market Attachment Rate (CPS-ASEC): The number of individuals attached to the labor market as a percent of the civilian non institutionalized population.
Living in the Community: Describes persons who are residing in the community and who are not living in institutions such as jails, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.
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M
Medicaid (CMS): Medicaid is a state administered but federally required program to provide health insurance to certain groups of people. States determine specific eligibility requirements, but in general low income individuals, families, children, and pregnant women are eligible for health care coverage under Medicaid. In some states, other groups (such as people with disabilities) are also eligible.
Medicare (CMS): Medicare is a federal program that provides health care services to individuals 65 or older, individuals under age 65 with disabilities, and individuals of all ages with end stage renal failure. There are three programs within Medicare: Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), and Prescription Drug Coverage (new since January 1, 2006). Individuals pay into Part A throughout their careers, and then Part A covers that individual for hospital care. People who are eligible for Medicare have the opportunity to purchase Part B, or medical insurance, that covers them for
more than just hospital care.
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N
Non-Institutionalized Population: Describes individuals who are residing in the community and who are not living in institutions such as jails, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.
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O
OASDI Benefits: The Social Security Administration's Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program provides monthly benefits to qualified retired and disabled workers, their dependents and to survivors of insured workers. Eligibility and benefit amounts are determined by the worker's contributions to Social Security.
Obese (BRFSS): The condition where a person has a body mass index greater than 30.
Order of Selection: A state is required by the federal government to implement an order of selection when it does not have the funds and/or the personnel to provide services for all eligible individuals with disabilities. This process is detailed under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and 34 CFR 361.36. When this situation occurs, a state must classify eligible individuals according to the significance of their disability(ies), and must serve individuals with the most significant disabilities first.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): The OECD brings together the governments of countries committed to democracy and the market economy from around the world to support sustainable economic growth, boost employment, raise living standards, maintain financial stability, assist other countries' economic development, and contribute to growth in world trade. The OECD provides a setting where governments compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice, and coordinate domestic and international policies.
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P
Population: The total number of inhabitants in a defined geographic area including all races, classes, and groups.
Poverty (ACS & CPS-ASEC): The Office of Management and Budget in Statistical Policy Directive 14 sets the standards for which poverty is calculated. The U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of dollar value thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a family's total income is less than the dollar value of the appropriate threshold, then that family and every individual in it are considered to be in poverty.
Poverty Rate (ACS & CPS-ASEC): Percent of the population who are determined to be in poverty.
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R
Race (ACS): Individuals identified themselves as one of six categories in the survey: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or Some Other Race.
Rehabilitation Rate: The number of successful employment outcomes divided by the number of closures after initiating or completing services.
Resident Population: All residents (both civilian and Armed Forces) living in the United States (all 50 states and the District of Columbia).
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S
Seasonally Adjusted Statistics: Statistics that face predictable variation over the course of a year due to seasonal changes (i.e., increases in employment in farming during harvest months) and are adjusted using statistical techniques that attempt to account for these expected seasonal changes.
Self-Care Disability (ACS): In the ACS, individuals ages five or older who responded "yes" when asked if they had "serious difficulty dressing or bathing."
Service-Connected Disability Rating: In the ACS, the veterans affairs service-connected disability rating for an individual who is a veteran. The rating reflects the degree of the veteran's disability on a scale from 0 to 100 percent, in increments of 10 percent. Service-Connected Disability Rating Status In the ACS, the designation associated with individuals who were in the Reserves or National Guard, trained with the Reserves or National Guard, or active-duty military that have a disability as a result of disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service. These disabilities are defined according to the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities in Title 38, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4.
Smoking (BRFSS): Respondents were asked about smoking: "Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your en tire life?" and "Do you now smoke cigarettes every day, some days, or not at all?" Respondents who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who, at the time of survey, smoked either every day or some days were defined as current smoker.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): A benefit paid to individuals and certain family members if they worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.
Special Education: Specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including (1) instruction at the classroom, home, hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and (2) physical education. The term can include each of the following: (1) speech-language pathology services, or any other related service, if the service is considered special education rather than a related service under state standards; (2) travel training; and (3) vocational education.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): The Social Security Administration pays benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits also are payable to people ages 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial limits.
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U
Unemployed Persons (CPS-BMS & CPS ASEC): Individuals ages 16 or older and were available to work, who had no employment during the reference week, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the month prior to the reference week.
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V
Vision Disability: In the ACS, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if they were "blind
or ... [had] serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses."
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR): Services offered to individuals with mental or physical disabilities. These services are designed to enable participants to attain skills, resources, attitudes, and expectations needed to compete in the interview process, get a job, and keep a job. These services may also help an individual retrain for employment after an injury or mental disorder has disrupted previous employment.
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