In the podcast Let's Talk About Business, Dr. Orville Disdier, executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, together with Dr. Ronald Hernández, manager of statistical projects, addressed various topics about the role of statistics in making informed decisions.

Among these issues, they highlighted one of the most debated — and often misinterpreted — concepts, inequality.

In a simple way, they describe it as the distance between those who have greater and lower purchasing power within a society. The larger that gap, the greater the inequality. In the case of Puerto Rico, they pointed out that, although not all people live in poverty, there is a significant difference between the extremes. Even if the group with the highest purchasing power is small, its impact on measurement is large due to this marked difference.

Why does it matter to understand this?

Because inequality is not just an economic fact. It is linked to social factors such as access to education, opportunities and even social tensions that can arise when the gaps are very wide.

In addition, the doctors emphasized that correctly interpreting these data makes it possible to better evaluate initiatives—such as economic aid or public policies—that seek to reduce this gap.

In short:

Understanding inequality is key to making informed decisions and building a more equitable society. We share the interview for the benefit of all and so that they can expand on these and other topics.

Access the interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WDAUhFpJY9PKoQFoLmPV1?si=CtZVKuCKRMSg0h793ZbeGQ&pi=-e_fQ8PaS9WJi&t=17

Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics Presents Statistics on Pulmonary Hypertension in Puerto Rico

Dr. Idania R. Rodriguez Ayuso, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Statistics, was a speaker at the Pulmonary Hypertension Support Group meeting. During her presentation, she presented the first statistics of pulmonary hypertension in Puerto Rico.

The results indicate that in 2024, 6,193 unique cases of pulmonary hypertension were registered: 69% in women and 31% in men. The prevalence was higher in people over 60 years of age and in the Southwest ASES region (178 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).

Access a copy of the presentation: Pulmonary Hypertension in Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico Violent Death Reporting System (PRVDRS), affiliated with the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, published today its most recent informative bulletin detailing preliminary data on violent deaths that occurred in the archipelago between January and March 2026.

First Quarter (Q1) Summary

During these first 90 days of the year, a total of 167 violent deaths were preliminarily registered. This represents an average of approximately two violent deaths per day (1.8). The system defines a violent death as one caused by the intentional use of physical force or power against oneself (suicides), another person, or against a group or community (homicides).

Findings on Homicides

70.0% of the violent deaths registered in this period (117 cases) were homicides. Regarding the demographic profile, it stands out that 97% of the victims were men, with the population aged 20 to 39 being the most affected (for both men and women). Firearms remained the primary instrument, used in 93.0% of the reported homicides.

Findings on Suicides

23.0% of the violent deaths corresponded to suicides, for a total of 38 cases. Approximately 8 out of 10 of these victims were men. The 40 to 59 age group accounted for half of the cases (50.0%). During this first quarter, the overall suicide rate stood at 1.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.

About the PRVDRS

Established in 2016 with the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the PRVDRS collects and consolidates data from the Institute of Forensic Sciences, the Puerto Rico Police Department, and the Demographic Registry. This provides a clear and precise view of violence in the archipelago to help formulate informed prevention strategies.

Public Access

We invite citizens and health and safety professionals to explore the annual reports, quarterly bulletins, and other statistical products through our interactive digital magazine and portals:

• Digital Magazine: Sistema de Notificación de Muertes Violentas de Puerto Rico (PRVDRS) | PDF to Flipbook

• Interactive Tool: PRVDRS Dashboard

• Linktree: PRVDRS | Linktree

• Official Portal: Puerto Rico Statistics | Puerto Rico Violent Death Notification System