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RACE, ETHNICITY, AND LANGUAGE DATA: THE NEED FOR STANDARDIZATION FOR HEALTH CARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
The disproportionate effect of diseases and deaths on different populations is a complex issue for policymakers and researchers. In 2009, the IOM formed the Subcommittee on Standardized Collection of Race/Ethnicity Data for Healthcare Quality Improvement (hereafter referred to as IOM Subcommittee).1 The IOM Subcommittee identified data collection standards to identify which populations are most at risk for morbidity or mortality, such as race, ethnicity, and English–language proficiency.1 These population–based variables have been used in research to address access and quality of health care.1 Of concern, is the lack of standardization of race, ethnicity, and language categories, creating a critical barrier to achieving widespread collection and usability of these data.1 To address this concern, the IOM Subcommittee recommends using the Office of Management and Budget race and Hispanic ethnicity categories as well as locally relevant categories of granular ethnicity (fine–grained ethnic groups). In addition, they recommend collection of language need, such as spoken English proficiency and language preference for health–related encounters.1 The Office of Management and Budget is the federal office that defines minimum federally required categories for racial and ethnic data collection. Currently, these required categories are Hispanic or Latino origin, Not of Hispanic or Latino origin, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, and White.2 The IOM Subcommittee stresses that the data should always be handled appropriately to maintain the public's trust.1 In addition, the local and regional entities responsible for data collection should determine which local categories should be included to reflect the local populations served.2
OREGON
Before May 2013, no law existed in Oregon requiring uniform data collection on race, ethnicity, and English language proficiency in publicly supported health and human services programs. Data in health and human services programs in Oregon are frequently aggregated as to which subgroups are present within a shared racial category. This process of aggregating groups can mask the unique needs of communities.3 The majority of the total population in Oregon identifies as being White (83.6%; n = 3,204,614) followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.7%; n = 450,062).4 However, 373,141 of the total...