Population reduction continues in 2015

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IEPR
29 December 2025

Population reduction continues in 2015

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Net migration was estimated at 35,000 people in 2019

During the calendar year 2019, it was estimated, in net terms, that nearly 35,000 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States. This is revealed by the most recent data from the Community Survey.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau covers the 2019 calendar year. The new data has been published through the new platform data.census.gov. As the local entity liaising with the U.S. Census Bureau, the Institute of Statistics shares several findings from the new 2019 data:

  1. In 2019, Puerto Rico's migration indicators showed the following changes compared to previous years:
    • Around 35,000 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States in net terms, representing a decrease compared to previous years (2011-2018) where the net balance ranged from 49,000 to 113,000 people migrating annually based on information from the Community Survey.
    • 31,144 people immigrated from the United States to Puerto Rico, contrasting with an increase in immigrants of 49% compared to 2018, where an estimated immigration of 20,900 people was estimated.
    • 66,021 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States, showing a decrease from the record number in 2018, which amounted to 133,451 people.
  2. Regarding various socioeconomic characteristics for Puerto Rico during 2019:
    • Some 684,655 people or 21.6% of the population (3,169,528) reported having a disability.
    • Around 77,000 grandparents live with their grandson or granddaughter under 18 and 32.2% of these are responsible for them.
    • For the population aged 25 and over (2,301,735):
      • 78.8% had a higher education or higher education
      • 27.2% had an education attained at the baccalaureate level or higher
    • 39.5% and 43.5% of families and individuals, respectively, are below the poverty line.
    • The median household income was $20,474.
    • The median household income was $25,388.
    • The GINI index, which measures income inequality, where the value of 0 indicates that there is perfect equality and the value 1 total inequality, places Puerto Rico with an indicator of 0.5509, being the highest when compared to the states.
    • As for households (1,170,982), it was estimated that:
      • 76.3% had a computer
      • 68.2% had access to an internet subscription (broadband)

“In terms of migration, published data for 2019 point to a reduction in net migration compared to previous years. However, the fact that nearly 35,000 people have emigrated means that 1% of Puerto Rico's population declined through emigration in a single year, which has been the drastic trend throughout the decade 2010-2020,” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

See more details, data and information about the 2019 Community Survey at: data.census.gov. In addition, you can consult about the transition to the new platform for accessing census data, available at the following links, webinars: https://cutt.ly/Cw7v9fI, SDC-PR and tutorials: https://www.census.gov/data/academy/data-gems/2019/visualize-data.html.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute collaborates in the development of a data collection tool for COVID-19 from hospitals

PRESS RELEASE

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute collaborates in the development of a data collection tool for COVID-19 from hospitals

The system collects and consolidates daily data on suspected and confirmed cases

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.

Puerto Rico Commission for Suicide Prevention and Statistics Institute publish statistical report for 2019

PRESS RELEASE

Puerto Rico Commission for Suicide Prevention and Statistics Institute publish statistical report for 2019

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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