Bridged-Race 1990-1999
Intercensal Population Estimates
for Calculating Vital Rates
(with Selected Age Groups)

On April 15, 2003, the National Center for Health Statistics released the bridged-race intercensal estimates of the resident population of the United States for 1990-1999. These estimates, which represent a revision of the annual time series of July 1 county population estimates by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin, were produced by the Population Estimates Program of the U.S. Bureau of the Census with support from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). These intercensal population estimates are based on the bridged single-race estimates of the April 1, 2000 resident population (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/popbridge/popbridge.htm) developed by the Bureau of the Census in collaboration with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (1,4, 5).

Derivation of the race-specific intercensal population estimates for the 1990's was complicated by the incomparability of the race data on the 1990 and the 2000 censuses. The race data on the 1990 Census were collected in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 1977 standards on race and ethnicity, while the race data on the 2000 Census were collected in accordance with the OMB's 1997 standards on race and ethnicity (2,3). The race classification used for the bridged-race intercensal estimates is consistent with the four single-race categories enumerated in the 1990 Census (White; Black; American Indian or Alaska Native, and Asian or Pacific Islander). To produce the race-specific intercensal estimates the Census bureau used the same methodology that was used to produce the age-sex-specific national- and state-level intercensal estimates, and distributed the difference between the 1990-based postcensal estimates of the 2000 resident population and the April 1, 2000 bridged-race population estimates (1,6).

The intercensal estimates for 1990-1999 released on the NCHS website differ from the estimates released on the NCI website (http://seer.cancer.gov/popdata/). NCI modified the Census Bureau's estimates for the state of Hawaii. The Epidemiology Program of the Hawaii Cancer Research Center has developed their own set of population estimates, based on sample survey data collected by the Hawaii Department of Health. This effort grew out of a concern that the native Hawaiian population has been vastly undercounted in previous censuses. The NCI adjustment to the Census Bureau Hawaii estimates has the net result of reducing the estimated White population and increasing the Asian and Pacific Islander population for the state. NCI did not modify the Census Bureau estimates for Hawaii's total population, Black population, or American Indian and Alaska Native population.

Forthcoming reports:

Currently in preparation are revised birth and death rates by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin based on the intercensal population estimates. These rates will be presented in forthcoming NCHS reports. Revised birth rates for Hispanic subgroups will be included in the forthcoming natality report.

Release of estimates:

The bridged-race intercensal estimates by county, race (White, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander), 19 age groups (<1, 1-4, 5-9,..., 80-84, 85+), sex, and Hispanic origin (not Hispanic or Latino, Hispanic or Latino) are available for download from this website (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/popbridge/popbridge.htm). There is one file for each of the years 1990-1999. The bridged-race intercensal estimates with the NCI "Hawaii adjustment" are available for download from the NCI website: http://seer.cancer.gov/popdata/.

References:

1. National Center for Health Statistics. Estimates of the April 1, 2000 resident population by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, prepared under a collaborative arrangement with the U.S. Census Bureau. 2003. Available on the Internet at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/dvs/popbridge/popbridge.htm
2. Office of Management and Budget. Revisions to the standards for the classification of Federal data on race and ethnicity, Federal Register 62FR58781-58790, October 30, 1997. Available on the internet at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/r&e_app-a-update.pdf. Also, here.
3. Office of Management and Budget. Race and ethnic standards for Federal statistics and administrative reporting. Statistical Policy Directive 15, 1977.
4. Ingram DD, Weed JA, Parker,JD, Hamilton B, Schenker N, Arias E, Madans JH. U.S. Census 2000 with bridged race categories. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 2, Number 135. September 2003.
5. ParkerJD, Schenker N, Ingram DD, Weed JA, Heck KE, Madans JH. Bridging between two standards for collecting information on race and ethnicity: application to Census 2000 and vital rates. Submitted for publication.
6. Bureau of the Census. Methodology: national intercensal population estimates. Available on the internet at http://www.census.gov/popest/topics/methodology/ and also here.

File layout for the Bridged-Race Intercensal Files, 1990-1999

There is one file for each of the ten years in the intercensal series 1990-1999. Each file contains bridged-race estimates of the July 1 resident population by State, county, race (White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander), age group (< 1 year, 1-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-14 years, ..., 80-84 years, 85 years and over), sex, and Hispanic origin (not Hispanic or Latino, Hispanic or Latino.

File names: