No. 48. RELIGIOUS BODIES CHURCH MEMBERSHIP, NUMBER OF PASTORS, AND SUNDAY SCHOOL ENROLLMENT-Continued

Source: National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America; Yearbook of American Churches, September 1959.

No. 49. RELIGIOUS BODIES-CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS:

1926 TO 1958

[See headnote, table 48. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series H 531-537]

Source: National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America; Yearbook of American Churches.

No. 50.

RELIGIOUS BODIES-CHURCH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LIVING DONORS [Includes Alaska. Represents data for 49 religious bodies reporting annual contributions except as noted]

1 Includes contributions for home and foreign missions.

2 Represents contributions to expenses of local parish or church, including building funds, repairs, fuel, min. ister's salary-anything that is for local church.

3 Includes $205,441 contributed to Lutheran Laymen's Movement for Stewardship.

440 bodies. Excluded from total because not comparable.

Source: National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America; published in Statistics of Church Finances, November 1959.

120, 687
21, 550

58.33

98. 24

23, 236
4,854

97, 451 16,696

50,358

11, 858

38, 497

Section 2

Vital Statistics, Health, and Nutrition

This section presents vital statistics-data on births, deaths, fetal deaths (stillbirths), marriages, divorces-and data on communicable diseases, mental health, medical care, hospitals, and nutrition. Vital statistics are compiled and published by the National Office of Vital Statistics, Public Health Service, in its annual report, Vital Statistics of the United States, and its Monthly Vital Statistics Report. Reports in this field are also issued by the individual State bureaus of vital statistics.

Births and deaths.-The collection of death statistics on an annual basis began in 1900. Then the death-registration States consisted of 10 States and the District of Columbia. In 1915, the collection of birth statistics began with 10 States and the District of Columbia. The changing composition of the two registration areas1 makes it impossible to obtain geographically comparable birth and death data for the entire United States before 1933. However, the rates for the expanding groups of registration States are approximations of national rates, and general comparisons over a long period of years can be made. Beginning with 1933, the birth and death registration areas have comprised the entire United States (conterminous area). National statistics on fetal deaths were compiled for 1918 and annually since 1922. Prior to 1951, and in 1955, birth statistics were based on a complete count of the records received in the National Office of Vital Statistics. From 1951 to 1954, and for 1956 and subsequent years, the figures were based on a 50-percent sample of all registered births. Adjustments shown for underregistration of births are based, for the most part, on the results of nationwide tests of registration completeness in 1940 and 1950.2

Current death statistics are based on a 10-percent sample of death certificates filed in State vital statistics offices; deaths among Armed Forces overseas are excluded. Fetal deaths (stillbirths) are also excluded from death statistics. Fetal death figures represent only fetal deaths for which the period of gestation was 20 weeks or more, or was not stated, since many States do not require the registration of earlier fetal deaths.

Since 1900 the causes of death have been classified according to 7 different revisions of the International Lists of Diseases and Causes of Death, issued by the Public Health Service. It has been the practice to revise the International Lists every 10 years to keep abreast of medical knowledge. Each revision has produced some break in the comparability of cause-of-death statistics. The extent of the changes is discussed in "The Effect of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists of Diseases and Causes of Death Upon Comparability of Mortality Trends," Vital Statistics-Special Reports, Vol. 36, No. 10, and Vital Statistics of the United States, 1958, Vol. 1. The latest (7th) revision was made in 1958.

Births, deaths, and fetal deaths are classified by place of occurrence and by place of residence3 of the mother or of the decedent.

Marriages and divorces.-National collections of statistics on marriages and divorces in the United States were made for the years 1867 to 1906, 1916, 1922 to 1932, 1937 to 1940, and 1944 to 1959. Estimates have been made for the intervening years as well as for years in which collections were not complete. A marriage-registration area was For coverage of these areas, see Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957, series B 1-5. * For a description of these tests and their findings see "Birth Registration Completeness in the United States and Geographic Areas, 1950, Part I, Data for Each State," Vital Statistics-Special Reports, Vol. 39, No. 2. For a discussion of methods of residence allocation and of significance of residence figures, see Vital Statistics of the United States, 1950.

established by the National Office of Vital Statistics on January 1, 1957; it covers 33 States and 3 independent registration areas. A divorce-registration area was inaugurated on January 1, 1958; it comprises 18 States and 1 independent registration area. These registration areas were established in order to improve national statistics of marriages and divorces.

Vital statistics rates.-Vital statistics rates computed by the National Office of Vital Statistics are based upon the enumerated population figures as of April 1 for 1940 and 1950, and upon the estimated midyear population figures for other years, provided by the Bureau of the Census unless otherwise noted. The special situation created by the changes in size and disposition of the Armed Forces necessitated the use of different types of population bases during the war and postwar period. Birth and divorce rates for 1941 to 1946 for the United States are based on the total population including members of the Armed Forces overseas. Birth and divorce rates for 1940 and 1947 to 1959, and death and marriage rates for 1940 to 1959, for the United States and the individual States are based on total population present in the area, excluding Armed Forces overseas.

Morbidity. Annual data on morbidity are compiled by the Public Health Service and published as a supplement to its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The list of diseases reported by individual States depends upon laws or regulations within the various States. However, most of the common communicable diseases are reportable in all States. Data on morbidity in the general population are also obtained occasionally by special surveys conducted in various communities or States. A clearinghouse of such surveys is maintained by the Public Health Service.

Another source of health statistics is the National Health Survey's continuing program which collects statistics on disease, injury, impairment, disability, and related topics on a uniform basis for the nation as a whole.

Morbidity statistics for members of the Armed Forces are prepared and published by the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Department of Labor compiles statistics of industrial injuries (see pp. 232 and 233).

Medical care.-Statistics of hospitals are obtained from the annual survey of hospitals conducted by the American Hospital Association. These statistics are published annually by that organization in Hospitals, Guide Issue, and include only hospitals that meet American Hospital Association requirements for listing. A relatively large number of institutions that provide health care, such as nursing and convalescent homes, are not included in the survey. Included are nearly all hospitals in the country that meet the following definition: A hospital is any establishment providing medical and registered nurse supervision; and offering services, facilities, and beds for use beyond 24 hours by 6 or more nonrelated individuals requiring diagnosis, treatment or care for illness, injury, deformity, infirmity, abnormality, or pregnancy; and regularly making available at least (1) clinical laboratory services, (2) diagnostic X-ray services, and (3) treatment facilities for (a) surgery, (b) obstetrical care, or (c) other definitive medical treatment of similar extent. Statistics supporting comprehensive, long-range plans for construction of hospital facilities authorized under Title VI of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, are revised annually, and are available from the Public Health Service. Summary data from the same source on existing hospital beds from 1948 to 1955 appear in Public Health Reports (May 1955 issue). Detailed data on existing hospital beds as of July 1, 1956, appear in The Nation's Health Facilities-Ten Years of the Hill-Burton Hospital and Medical Facilities Program, 1946-1956, Public Health Service Publication No. 616.

Statistics on institutional population based on the 1950 Census of Population include information on number and characteristics of persons in long-term hospitals,

4 For a discussion of the interpretation of crude rates during wartime, see "Summary of Natality and Mortality Statistics, United States, 1943," Vital Statistics-Special Reports, Vol. 21, No. 1, and "Marriage and Divorce in the United States, 1937 to 1945," Vital Statistics-Special Reports, Vol. 23, No. 9.

in homes and schools for the mentally and physically handicapped, and in homes for the aged and dependent (U. S. Census of Population, 1950, Vol. IV, Part 2C). Sample surveys are conducted occasionally to provide information on the medical care received by the population of various communities or States, and certain insurance organizations publish statistics on the medical care received by their beneficiaries. Another aspect of medical care is provided by statistics on patients in hospitals for mental disease, and in institutions for mental defectives and epileptics. From 1926 to 1946, such data were collected annually by the Bureau of the Census. Beginning with the 1947 report, the data appear in the annual report, Patients in Mental Institutions, issued by the National Institute of Mental Health, Public Health Service.

Nutrition. Statistics on the apparent per capita consumption of food and its nutrient value are estimated by the Department of Agriculture and published quarterly (nutrient value, annually) in the National Food Situation. A discussion of methods used to compute these figures and more detailed information appear in Agriculture Handbook No. 62, Consumption of Food in the United States, 1909-52, and the 1956 and later supplements to that publication present revised and current figures.

Statistics on Federal food distribution programs, and data on the quantity and costs of the food commodities distributed and the number of persons participating in the programs are published annually in Agricultural Statistics.

Alaska and Hawaii.-For a general statement concerning thetre atment of data for Alaska and Hawaii, see preface. "Conterminous area" refers to the United States excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and outlying areas.

Historical statistics.—Tabular headnotes (as "See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series B 7-9") provide cross-references, where applicable, to Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957. See preface.

Source: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, National Office of Vital Statistics.