No. 46. RELIGIOUS BODIES-CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS: 1940 TO 1965

[See headnote, table 45. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series H 531-537]

! Based on Bureau of the Census estimated population as of July 1. 2 1941-1942.

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

No. 47.

RELIGIOUS BODIES-CHURCH CONTRIBUTIONS: 1965

[Represents data for 38 religious bodies reporting annual contributions. Relates to confirmed, communicant, or full membership, as defined by the religious bodies shown]

! Includes contributions for home, foreign missions, foreign relief, social welfare, and education.

? Represents contributions to local parish or church for building funds, repairs, fuel, salaries of ministers and other employees, and other expenses.

Source: National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America; Statistics of Church Finances, 1966.

Source: Chart prepared by Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Data from Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service.

Source: Chart prepared by Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Data from Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service.

This section presents vital statistics-data on births, deaths, fetal deaths (stillbirths), marriages, divorces-and data on communicable diseases, mental illness, medical care, hospitals, and nutrition. Vital statistics are compiled and published by the Public Health Service in the annual report, Vital Statistics of the United States, in certain reports of the Vital and Health Statistics series, and in the 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, including Alaska beginning 1959 and Hawaii beginning 1960. 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 Public Health Service. 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 on the results of nationwide tests of registration completeness in 1940 and 1950. Such adjustments in the published data were discontinued in 1960.

Current provisional death statistics are based on a 10-percent sample of death certificates filed in State vital statistics offices. Fetal deaths (stillbirths) and deaths among Armed Forces abroad are excluded.

Mortality statistics are compiled in accordance with World Health Organization regulations, which specify that member nations classify causes of death according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death. The current classification, "Seventh Revision of the International Lists," has been used in the United States beginning with 1958. 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. Comparability ratios which measure the net effect of changes in classifications according to the Fifth and Sixth Revisions are shown in Vital Statistics-Special Reports, Vol. 51, Nos. 2 and 3; and according to the Sixth and Seventh Revisions in Vital Statistics of the United States, 1958, Vol. 1, and in Vital Statistics-Special Reports, Vol. 51, No. 4. The extent of earlier 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.

Births, deaths, and fetal deaths are classified by place of occurrence and by place of residence 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

1 For coverage of these areas, see Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957, series B 1-5.

1940, and each year since 1944. Estimates have been made for the intervening years as well as for years in which collections were not complete. A marriage-registration area was established by the Public Health Service in 1957, and a divorce-registration area in 1958. At the beginning of 1967, the marriage-registration area covered 36 States and 3 independent registration areas; the divorce-registration area, 22 States and 1 independent registration area.

Vital statistics rates.-Vital statistics rates computed by the Public Health Service are based upon the enumerated population figures as of April 1 for 1940, 1950, and 1960 and upon the estimated midyear population figures for other years, provided by the Bureau of the Census unless otherwise noted. Birth and divorce rates for 1940 and 1947 to 1960, and death and marriage rates for 1940 to 1960, for the United States and the individual States are based on total population present in the area.

Morbidity. Annual data on notifiable diseases, based on reports from State health departments, are compiled by the Public Health Service at its Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and published as a supplement to its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The list of notifiable diseases is revised biennially and includes those which, by mutual agreement of the States and the Public Health Service, are communicable diseases of national importance.

General health statistics, including morbidity, disability, and the utilization of health services, are provided by the various surveys that make up the National Health Survey of the Public Health Service. They are published in Vital and Health Statistics, Series 10 and 11. 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 p. 245).

Medical care. Data on persons receiving inpatient care in short-stay hospitals, resident patients in mental hospitals, and residents of homes for the aged and chronically ill, are collected by the Public Health Service and presented in Vital and Health Statistics, Series 12 and 13; data on patient visits to physicians, dentists, and other providers of health care are furnished in Series 10.

Another aspect of medical care is provided by statistics on patients in hospitals for mental disease, psychiatric services of general hospitals, outpatient psychiatric clinics, and institutions for the mentally retarded. From 1923 to 1946, data on mental health were collected annually by the Bureau of the Census. Since 1946 they have been issued by the Public Health Service. Beginning with 1947, hospital data appear annually in Patients in Mental Institutions, and beginning with 1959, clinic data appear in Data on Patients of Outpatient Psychiatric Clinics in the United States. Statistics on institutional population based on the 1960 Census of Population include information on number and characteristics of persons in long-term hospitals, in homes and schools for the mentally and physically handicapped, and in homes for the aged and dependent (U.S. Census of Population, 1960, PC(2)−8A).

Statistics of hospitals are obtained from the American Hospital Association's annual survey of hospitals. They are published annually in Hospitals, Guide Issue, and cover all hospitals accepted for registration by the Association. To be accepted for registration, a hospital must meet certain requirements, as follows: It must have at least 6 beds for the care of nonrelated patients for an average stay of over 24 hours per admission; be constructed and equipped to insure safety of patients and to provide sanitary facilities for their treatment; have an organized medical staff, registered nurse supervision, and nursing care for round-the-clock patient care; maintain clinical records on all patients and submit evidence of patient care by doctors; provide minimal surgical and obstetrical facilities or relatively complete diagnostic and treatment facilities; have diagnostic X-ray and clinical laboratory services readily available; and offer services more intensive than those required merely for room, board, personal services, and general nursing care.

Statistics supporting comprehensive, long-range plans for construction of hospitals and related medical facilities authorized under Title VI of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, are submitted annually by the Hill-Burton State Agencies to the Public Health Service. National data on hospital beds in 1948 to 1962 and detailed State data as of January 1, 1962, appear in Hill-Burton State Plan Data: A National Summary as of January 1, 1962, Public Health Service Publication No. 930-F-2. Data on physicians, dentists, nurses, and other providers of health services are published in the Health Manpower Source Book Series, Public Health Service Publication Number 263. A comprehensive compilation of data on some 35 categories of health occupations is presented in Health Resources Statistics: Health Manpower, 1965, Public Health Service Publication Number 1509.

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 Statistical Bulletin No. 364, U.S. Food Consumption; Sources of Data and Trends, 1909–63, and the annual supplements. Data on Federal food distribution programs, quantity and cost of food commodities distributed, and number of persons participating in the programs are published annually in Agricultural Statistics.

Historical statistics.-Tabular headnotes provide cross-references, where applicable, to Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1957. See preface.

No. 48. LIVE BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES, AND DIVORCES, AND RATES: 1910 TO 1966

[Prior to 1960, excludes Alaska and Hawaii. See also Historical Statistics, Colonial Times to 1957, series B 7-9, B 129, B 176, and B 178]

NA Not available.

1 Includes estimates and marriage licenses for some States for all years.

* Includes reported annulments and some estimated State figures for all years.

* For 1940, 1950, and 1960, based on population enumerated as of Apr. 1; for all other years, estimated as of July 1. All rates are based on population excluding Armed Forces abroad, except 1945 birth and divorce rates based on population including Armed Forces abroad. 4 Collection of birth certificates began in 1915. Represents birth registration States only; see text, p. 45. • Provisional.

Source: Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service; annual report, Vital Statistics of the United States.