Race/ethnicity and OMB Directive 15: implications for state public health practice

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the impact of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) 1997 revised standards for the collection of race and ethnicity data on state health departments, using the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) as the primary example, and we make recommendations for states' implementation of these standards. METHODS: After analyzing the revised OMB standards, existing MDPH data sets were assessed for the impact of the revised standards on data collection, tabulation, analysis, and reporting for state health departments. RESULTS: The revised OMB standards will have an impact on the MDPH and other state health departments. Similarities and differences exist between federal and state health agencies regarding the purpose of data collection, tabulation, analysis, and reporting. These similarities and differences will affect state implementation of the revised OMB standards. CONCLUSIONS: States need to plan for the implementation of the revised OMB standards and to understand the impact of this revision on the collecting and reporting of public health data. The revised OMB standards will introduce added complexities to the collection and analysis of race and ethnicity data, but they will also produce a more nuanced understanding of the relationship of race and ethnicity to the health of the American people.