Some variables are easier to measure than others, but certain questions require special care, both in how they are formulated and in the instruments are used to collect them. One of the most complex is without a doubt, that related to people's ethnic and cultural origin, and also the skin color. In the most recent newsletter of the Puerto Rico State Data Center (SDC-PR) network brief notes are shared about the research on ethnic-racial identification and colorism that has been carried out from the Institute's. Access the current newsletter here, or explore previous newsletters and press releases from the SDC-PR network.
The geographical visualization allows us to see the progress of the response to the Census in municipalities
San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 1, 2020 — The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) reported that they have made available a geographical visualization of the state of self-response to the 2020 Census in the municipalities of Puerto Rico. The visualization shows the different levels of response at the municipal level depending on the questionnaires completed and already received by the Federal Census Bureau. The tool allows you to easily compare the places where the response has been highest or lowest. More importantly, the visualization is updated several times each week, so it serves to monitor the progress of the response to the 2020 Census across Puerto Rico.
The visualization is nourished by self-response data reported periodically in the Federal Census Bureau's main visualization tool. However, since Puerto Rico has a different type of enumeration than other jurisdictions (updating and handing over the questionnaire to every household), the response rate has been different given the COVID-19 scenario. Therefore, at the moment, response values in Puerto Rico cannot be properly differentiated within the categories established in the visualization of the Federal Census. It is for this reason, and in order to be able to compare the progress of the 2020 Census response across Puerto Rico in an appropriate way, that the Institute prepared the geographical visualization available at: censo.estadisticas.pr, which is adjusted based on the values in the municipalities.
At the same time, municipal information of reference and interest was added to this interactive visualization. For example, position compared to other municipalities according to their percentage of self-response, estimated total housing units and percentage of occupied housing. The tool provides motivation, since residents of a municipality with a low response can become aware of this aspect, motivate themselves to do their part and at the same time motivate others to increase the percentage of their respective municipality.
“Field operations are temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 situation. In the case of Puerto Rico, enumerators will continue to deliver questionnaire packages to homes as soon as fieldwork resumes. We call on everyone to respond to the 2020 Census as soon as they receive the invitation. Whether you receive the invitation by post or subsequently by hand delivery to homes, the option to reply via the internet (https://2020census.gov/es.html) allows us to respond safely and quickly,” said Alberto L. Velázquez Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects.
Census data plays a role in everyday life, as it helps to make decisions about the financing of services and infrastructure in the community, including health care, centers for the elderly, jobs, roads, schools, businesses and political representation. Therefore, they serve as a guide so that communities can obtain the fair funds they need, as well as to support companies to make decisions based on data that encourage the economy. Let's make sure we're all counted!
About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics
The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity tasked with coordinating the government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and accessible quickly and universally. In addition, as the leading entity of the SDC in Puerto Rico, the Institute manages the SDC portal, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau about Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand, such as annual population estimates, the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey) and official statistics on Puerto Rico's 10-year population and housing censuses, among others. The Puerto Rico SDC portal can be accessed through: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/.
For more information you can visit the website: https://estadisticas.pr.gov/. In addition, you can follow the Institute on social networks, through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.
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Press Contact:
Idia Martinez 787-603-3200
April 23, 2020: The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute reported that it has already completed the update of its COVID-19 Indicator Platform in Puerto Rico, after receiving the revised data from the Department of Health. The platform includes graphic representations based on information from single positive cases, using molecular tests, reported since March 9 and purified by that agency, said the executive director of the Institute, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.
The platform has graphs of positive cases, epidemic curve based on molecular tests, daily growth factor based on the date of the molecular test, demographic characteristics and cases by municipality.
“The data provided by the platform will serve as a basis for researchers to carry out their own statistical analysis and generate projections, and that the government can take the actions required to control infections. However, it is important to clarify that the graphs do not reflect all the unique cases, because, as recognized by the Department of Health, there were flaws in the methodology and data collection,” said Disdier.
As he noted, the Department of Health's commitment is to continue sending them daily purified data so that the Institute continues to update the graphics.
“As we have said before this pandemic was declared, at the Institute of Statistics we are in the best position to do everything in our power and in accordance with what the law empowers us, to contribute to transparency in the dissemination of data about this virus,” he said.
The COVID-19 Indicator Platform can be accessed through the following link: Covid-19
To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.
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Contact: Idia M. Martinez, Lic. R-28, 787-603-3200, imartinez@upfrontpr.net
April 8, 2020: In view of the non-compliance with the submission of data on COVID-19 in Puerto Rico and in accordance with Act No. 209-2003, as amended, known as the Statistics Institute Act, the executive director of that entity, Dr. Orville M. Disdier, made a formal request to the Secretary of the Department of Health (DS), Dr. Lorenzo González Feliciano, to provide the necessary data. “Although the Institute's Information Requirements Regulations state that, in response to an Official Information Request, the agency has up to 20 days to provide it, we ask the DS to do so immediately, as this is a matter of the highest priority, given the likelihood that infections and deaths will continue to increase in Puerto Rico,” said Disdier.
The Law that created the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) states that its purpose is to promote changes in data collection and statistics systems so that they are complete, reliable and accessible quickly and universally. To this end, the Institute has the primary mission of coordinating the Statistics Production Service of the Government of Puerto Rico, of requesting information, both from the public and private sectors, and of developing the policy for the development of the public statistical function. According to Disdier, although most agencies comply with this, unfortunately there are others that do not do their duty.
“Since long before this COVID-19 emergency began, the Institute has been communicating, through official email and phone calls, with the Department of Health to offer collaboration and request that they provide us with detailed data on cases of COVID-19 in Puerto Rico. In addition, we have held communications and meetings with staff from Fortaleza and with some members of the Task Force that advises the governor on this pandemic. They repeatedly state that they will provide the data, but the reality is that they arrive late, incomplete, in inadequate formats or there are days when they simply don't arrive,” he said.
Specifically, the Institute has requested the following information and detailed data, for each individual being tested for COVID-19 in Puerto Rico: Case number (Unique ID), sex (M, F, or other), region of residence, municipality of residence, age (in years), test results for COVID-19 (positive, negative, pending, undetermined, or other), date of onset of symptoms (day and month), date of sample collection or date of submission of the sample (day and month), and if the person died.
Disdier highlighted that, in order to promote greater collaboration, the Institute served as a facilitator and for a few days now, the project to implement a rapid system for the daily collection of data on COVID-19 in hospitals has been successfully completed. As a result, every day the Department of Health receives data from hospitals, in a fast, simple and standardized way.
“It is now up to the Department of Health to share the revised and official data with the Institute. That is, right now we should be receiving these official data on a daily basis and that is not happening. These data are necessary so that the Institute can keep citizens informed and to develop action plans that make it feasible to control this pandemic,” concluded Disdier.
To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.
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Contacts:
Idia M. Martinez, R-28, 787-603-3200
Lourdes Burgos, R-27, 787-562-2932
Dr. Orville M. Disdier, executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (Institute), reported that the Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Task Force Physician, the design, development and implementation of a system for the daily collection and consolidation of data on COVID-19 in hospitals was completed. Through this system, epidemiologists at each hospital can easily and quickly enter basic data on suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19.
As explained by Disdier, the data required by the system are those necessary for the so-called rapid surveillance system. The content and logistics of this rapid surveillance system were designed and approved by doctors Cynthia Pérez and Enid García, in collaboration with other members of the Task Force and the Department of Health. The variables collected by the system are the following: Gender, age, municipality of residence, date of onset of symptoms, type of exposure, if the person was admitted to the hospital, if the person is on mechanical ventilation, if the person is in intensive care, date of taking the sample, type of test, result of the test, if the person died, and date of death, if that were the case.
“Faced with the urgent need for the Department of Health to have a rapid epidemiological surveillance system in hospitals, the Institute offered full assistance to the Department of Health and the Task Force Doctor. We are very grateful that they have accepted our collaboration. In just one week, we were able to implement the system and at this time hospitals send information in a fast, complete and standardized way about COVID-19 to the Department of Health. Rapid surveillance systems are essential to combat any epidemic or pandemic,” he argued.
The data that hospitals enter into the system is consolidated every day, at approximately 12:00 noon. After consolidation, epidemiologists from the Department of Health verify the quality of the data and make any necessary edits in consultation with hospital epidemiologists. Finally, the consolidated and verified data will be used by the Department of Health to generate daily statistical reports and for other epidemiological surveillance activities. It is also expected that this will help the Department of Health to comply with Act No. 209 of August 28, 2003, which requires them to share the official data generated with the Institute, an aspect with which the Department of Health has not fully complied with until now. In fact, this law establishes that the Institute is a co-owner of all the information and statistical product that government agencies develop, and that it can add and disseminate such information as it deems appropriate. “We urge the Department of Health to comply with the law and to send these and any other data related to COVID-19 to the Institute on a daily basis and promptly so that we can provide citizens with complete, reliable statistics with quick and universal access,” emphasized Dr. Disdier.
Disdier explained that this system of data collection and consolidation did not involve the use of additional funds, since it based its structure on other tools already existing at the Institute and on free-to-use programming languages, such as Python. The Institute's work team dedicated many hours of work to this project, despite all the challenges that COVID-19 represents for everyone in Puerto Rico and the fact that they are currently working remotely from home. The quality, efficiency and effectiveness of this new system is being verified daily by Institute personnel in collaboration with doctors Pérez and García, who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to overcoming COVID-19.
To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.
For the year 2019, 176 cases of suicide were reported, 67 cases less than in 2018
Dr. Orville M. Disdier, executive director of the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) reported that a collaboration with the Commission for Suicide Prevention (CPS), attached to the Puerto Rico Department of Health, resulted in the “Annual Statistical Report on Deaths by Suicide 2019”.
“This report is of great importance for citizens, since it presents data on suicide for 2019 and draws comparisons with previous years. In addition, it collects data not only on fatal suicide events, but it also presents information on calls to the ASSMCA PAS line and, for the first time, includes data on suicide attempts and contemplations attended by the Emergency Medical Corps,” said Myribel Santiago, manager of statistical projects at the Institute and co-author of the publication.
The publication of this report underlines the importance of the Institute in coordinating the statistical production service of government entities. The Institute has the capacity not only to request statistical information from executive branch agencies, but also to provide them with collaboration, advice and the necessary tools to improve the quality of the statistics they produce.
“Despite the extraordinary circumstances we currently live in, we hope to continue collaborating. Today, more than ever, we need reliable and accurate data to facilitate the implementation of a responsible, informed and sensitive public policy to the complex reality we live in,” said Dr. María Isabel Coss, educational coordinator of the CPS and lead author of the publication.
For his part, Dr. Disdier argued that “the results of this collaborative report reflect that in 2019, a crude suicide rate of 5.5 per 100,000 inhabitants was observed, which is the lowest rate since 2000. Without a doubt, this is very positive and it also demonstrates the enormous importance of continuing to support the preparation of this type of report, since it is only with data that we can know if the prevention measures are giving the desired results”.
The CPS is responsible for promoting, developing, implementing, coordinating actions and strategies for suicide prevention, adopting an integrative and interdisciplinary approach aimed at individuals, families, communities at risk, and helping professionals. In addition, it emphasizes research, the development of prevention and intervention programs and
in raising public awareness of the magnitude and seriousness of suicide in Puerto Rico. For its part, the Institute is a governmental entity whose mission is to guarantee Puerto Rico that it has complete, reliable statistics, and quick and universal access.
You can access this annual report and other related reports through the following link: Suicide Statistics.
To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.
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Contacts:
Idia M. Martinez, R-28, 787-603-3200
Lourdes Burgos, R-27, 787-562-2932
The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute created a new section with graphic representations or Dashboard on its website, called “COVID-19,” in which citizens will have access to official data on the impact of this virus in Puerto Rico, according to data provided by the Department of Health, said the Institute's executive director, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.
Among the data that users will be able to access in the Dashboard the following are included: the total number of people evaluated or under evaluation, their average age, number of positive, negative and pending cases, as well as the distribution by sex and health region. In addition, raw data can be obtained through this section, so that researchers could carry out their own statistical analyses. It is expected that as the Department of Health provides more information, the tool will continue to be updated and improved.
“Having a detailed, up-to-date statistical tool accessible to all citizens is crucial right now. We urge that the Department of Health continue to provide us with updated data on a continuous and expeditious basis to, in turn, make them accessible to all citizens,” said Dr. Disdier.
The new Dashboard about COVID-19 can be accessed through the following link: COVID-19 Indicator Platform
To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.
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Contacts:
Idia M. Martinez, R-28, 787-603-3200
Lourdes Burgos, R-27, 787-562-2932
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