The Public Health Consequences of an Inaccurate Census
A census that deliberately counts fewer people while telling us less about them will leave our nation ill-prepared for future outbreaks and pandemics, write Julie Morita and Richard Besser.
In 2015, Chicago's public health department discovered three instances of invasive meningococcal disease, a life-threatening infection that can prove fatal within hours. To ascertain whether these cases indicated a broader outbreak, the department required precise population and demographic data for the affected regions. The team, led by Dr. Julie Morita, consulted the U.S. Census for this information.
The data revealed that men who have sex with men—particularly among Chicago's Black community—were disproportionately impacted. This insight guided the health department's response, distributing thousands of free vaccines to at-risk neighborhoods. Ultimately, the outbreak was contained to 11 cases and a single death. The census plays a pivotal role in every facet of the nation's public health system.
As former public health leaders, the authors have directly witnessed its significance. However, the Trump administration has proposed changes to the census that could undermine public health and constitutional principles. The administration proposes excluding certain groups, such as undocumented residents and nonimmigrant visa holders, and removing demographic questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Such changes would have far-reaching consequences. An inaccurate census would distort congressional representation and skew the allocation of trillions in federal funds to critical programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and Head Start. Communities with the greatest needs, particularly those with immigrant or mixed-status families, would suffer the most.
Moreover, health officials rely on census data to monitor disease outbreaks, track infection rates, and allocate resources effectively. During the H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009, census data helped identify children and young adults as particularly vulnerable, guiding targeted vaccination efforts. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, census-tract data revealed disparities in hospitalization rates among American Indian, Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic populations.
These examples underscore the critical role census data play in safeguarding public health. The next census is several years away, but the decisions made now are crucial. An intentionally incomplete or biased census would leave the nation unprepared for future health crises and hinder the equitable distribution of resources. It is imperative for the public health community to vocalize its opposition to these potentially harmful changes.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
