We took notice of a recent e-mail from Jean Ross, the executive director at the California Budget Project (CBP), in which she gave thanks to all the people and resources involved in CBP’s work, and we thought it was a good time to send out a message to our readers, too.

We are thankful for:

• The dozens of data sources with whom we work to obtain vital data about the health and well being of children

• The national movement to make data from government sources even more accessible to a broader range of audiences
• Efforts in communities statewide to use data to better understand children’s health issues
• Those of you across the state who spread the word about the data our foundation makes available through kidsdata

• Great ideas on how to improve kidsdata that we hear as we travel around the state.

• Growing public interest in displaying data in engaging ways

Most importantly, we want to thank the nonprofits, research organizations, elected officials, media, parents, advocates, and concerned citizens across the state who help advance the health and well being of California’s children.

Happy Thanksgiving from our team to your home!

Posted by kidsdata.org

In the spirit of family time defined by Thanksgiving, we are providing some data from our foundation’s 2010 California Parent Survey that relate to this holiday season.

Family Time

According to this survey, 71% of children have parents who report that they are satisfied with the amount of time they spend with their family. Parents of 18% believe that they do not have enough time with their family, and parents of 11% think they have too much family time.

Children in single-parent families, however, are significantly more likely to have parents who report that their family does not have enough time together (25%). Similarly, children with household incomes above $100,000 also are more likely to have parents who report feeling they do not spend enough time with their family (23-29%).

See more parent survey key findings>>

Adequacy of Income to Meet Needs

This same survey also found that about one-quarter of California children have parents who believe their family income is not adequate to meet basic needs, such as food, clothing and shelter. About half of children (52%) had adequate household incomes, and 21% had more than enough family income, according to parents.

During this holiday season, it is important to recognize, in particular, the 9% of California children whose parents report that their income is “not nearly enough” to meet their family’s basic needs and to note, too, the racial/ethnic disparities that exist in parent responses.
See more data on family income and poverty>>

Posted by kidsdata.org

Is life ever the same for families and friends following a loved one’s suicide?

Suicide is a tragic event whose effects ripple out and linger on as surviving friends and family members are left to sort out the confusion and pain.

The National Survivors of Suicide Day, which takes place tomorrow, Nov. 19, is a day to recognize the bereavement of families in the wake of a permanent loss of a loved one. Through remembrance and reflection, the day aims to help communities come together to cope with and heal from grief.

Data recently posted to Kidsdata.org show that California’s youth suicide rate has declined to its lowest level in more than 10 years. The rate, which was 6.6 suicides in ’07-’09 per 100,000 youth ages 15-24, was about 30% lower than the rate of 9.4 in ’95-’97. In 2009, there were 407 suicides among 5-24-year-olds in California, which is fairly consistent with previous years.

Kidsdata.org’s indicators on youth suicide and self-inflicted injury include rates of suicide by age, gender, and race/ethnicity, as well as self-inflicted injury hospitalization rates. See a printable fact-sheet of suicide and self-inflicted injury data.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers information on youth suicide, attempted suicide, and suicide prevention. More >>

Posted by kidsdata.org

Today, November 17th, is the American Cancer Society‘s Great National Smokeout.

Related to this event, self-reported data are available by school district on youth who smoke cigarettes, as are data on children who are affected by second-hand smoke.

As you may know, smoking cigarettes is the primary cause of preventable death in the United States. It causes cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness. Take action today by finding resources for you – and for youth across California – on smoking cessation.

Also, visit our Research & Links section for reports and information related to Alcohol, Tobacco, and other drugs.

Posted by kidsdata.org

In order to provide reliable data at a county level, kidsdata.org offers infant mortality rates over three-year periods. The most recent data we have – from ’07-’09 – show a declining rate of infant mortality in California, from 5.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in ’96-’98 to 5.1 in ’07-’09. See county-level data >>

However, when examining California as a whole, as opposed to individual counties, one-year rates are reliable, and according to data just released from the California Department of Public Health, the 2009 infant mortality rate – 4.9 per 1,000 live births – was the lowest recorded. The infant mortality rate has dropped considerably over the years; about 20 years ago, in 1991, the rate was 7.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

The 2009 data released by the state also show that disparities persist, with infant mortality rates that are more than twice as high for Multiracial and African American/Black infants as for Hispanic/Latino, Caucasian/White, and Asian infants.

For analysis on these California-wide data, visit HealthyCal.org.

Posted by Andy Krackov

At our foundation, we’re always on the lookout for innovative ways to express data visually. So following the United Nation’s recent announcement that  world population has reached the seven billion mark, we took note of this National Public Radio video to help audiences visualize this mind-boggling population growth:

Using just water, food colors, and glass vials, the video employs volume to help audiences understand changes over time in global population growth. A simple, innovative visualization translates and humanizes these data into a story of our species over several centuries.

What stories do you want to tell with data measures on kidsdata.org?

We have many options for you to communicate data visually:

• bar graphs
• trend  graphs
• pie charts
• maps

So get creative and play around with the various ways that Kidsdata offers visualized data to discover the way that best conveys pressing issues –and victories!– in child health. Just leave a comment, and let us know what you’ve come up with.

Posted by kidsdata.org

How can we make sense of the just-released data on childhood obesity? On one hand, more than half of California counties registered increases from 2005 to 2010 in rates of overweight and obesity among fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-graders. Yet statewide, the prevalence of obesity largely held steady at 38%, a sign that our state may be getting a handle on the pressing issue of childhood obesity.

The researchers from UCLA and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) describe the results in their press release as a “patchwork of progress.” And Harold Goldstein, executive director of the CCPHA, observes, “Increased awareness and a growing array of school and community policies and programs are beginning to have an impact.”

As with data on so many other topics, however, the story is still incomplete – and that may be one of the key points to remember here. In five or 10 years, we’ll know more about whether this period from 2005 to 2010 marked the beginning of a decline in California’s childhood obesity rates or whether progress is stalling.

Researchers involved in this study note that a patchwork of progress is no reason for California policymakers to become complacent, pointing out the need for continued attention to programs and policies that prevent and address childhood obesity. “Children’s health is still at risk in a significant number of counties,” says UCLA’s Dr. Susan Babey, the lead author of the study. CCPHA’s Goldstein notes, “In light of the huge number of counties where childhood obesity rates continue to climb, our efforts must continue and even expand, especially in those areas where we now know children are most at risk.”

For more information on policies to influence childhood obesity, see kidsdata.org’s Policy Implications section.

Posted by Andy Krackov

Data just posted to kidsdata.org show that California’s youth suicide rate declined to its lowest level in more than 10 years. The rate, which was 6.6 suicides in ’07-’09 per 100,000 youth ages 15-24, was about 30% lower than the rate of 9.4 in ’95-’97. In case you missed our recent advisory, view this slideshow for a summary of key data findings on suicide and self-inflicted injuries.

Posted by kidsdata.org

National Adoption Month helps raise awareness about the thousands of children and youth nationwide in the child-welfare system who are awaiting permanent families.

Data show that there were 58,012 children in foster care in California in 2010. And, according to 2009 data, 72% of California’s foster children waited 2 or more years to be adopted into a permanent home.

See more data on foster care children in California>>

See a related Data Points blog post on “Helping Adopted Children Overcome Adversity“

Posted by kidsdata.org

Posted by kidsdata.org