73
Chapter IV
Fertilityandmortalityamong
thehispanic population
and non-Hispanicwhite population. In the case of the
Hispanic population, the analysis focuses on persons
of Mexican, Central American and South American
origin.Thedegreeofspecificityandtheperiodofanalysis
dependon the informationprovidedby thenchs.
Fertility
Since2007 therehas beenadecline in total
births, particularlyamongMexicanmothers
The period between 2004 and2007 saw an increase
in total births across all the population groups, howe-
ver after 2007 there was a downward trend, and by
2012 the largestdecreasewas recordedamongMexi-
canwomen (23%), almost equal toCentral andSouth
American women
3
(22%). The decline in total births
was lower in non-Hispanic whites (8%) and non-His-
panicAfricanAmericans (7%) (Figure62).
Two states alone, California and Texas, ac-
count for approximately sixout of tenbirths toMexi-
canmothers. There was no significant change in the
geographicdistribution in thosebirthsbetween2004
and2012 (Figure63).
3
These are presented as a single populationgroup (theCentral and South
American).
Introduction
Migration is one of many factors of demographic
change which, together with mortality and fertility,
can affect the growth and composition of the popu-
lation. This chapter presents information on fertility
and mortality rates, in addition to other key indica-
tors, based on vital statistics.
1
These rates are also
often used as an indicator of well-being and health
status of the population, this chapter further analy-
zes the principal causes of death that can provide
insights into the health of immigrant and other po-
pulation groups in the United States, as well as their
need for health services.
The data used to calculate vital statistics
2
are based
on the inter-censal estimatesproduced since2000by
theNational Center forHealthStatistics (nchs) in co-
llaborationwith theNationalCancer Institute(nci)and
the United States Census Bureau. These institutions
use data on ethnicity and origin in their estimates,
when the estimate considers origin; it not only recog-
nizesaperson’splaceofbirth, butalsohisheritage, na-
tionalityanddescent. Using thesecriteria, thischapter
identifies the principal changes in fertility andmortali-
tyamong theHispanic, non-HispanicAfricanAmerican
1
In theUnitedStates, eachstate is responsible for recordingvital statistics.
These jurisdictions (50 states, five territories and two cities) are tasked
with recording the information, takingminutesand sendingcopiesof these
tocitizens.TheFederalGovernmentpublishes thesevital statistics through
theNational Vital Statistics System (nvss), anddata areprovidedbynchs
and local civil registryoffices.
2
Formore details about the indicators used in this chapter see the defini-
tions of theNational Association for Public Health Statistics and Informa-
tion Systems (naphsis) in
-
suresandDefinitions.aspx
