Ethnicity : The heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States.
(U.S. Census Bureau (2001). Questions and Answers for Census 2000 Data on Race.)

Free and Reduced Price Lunch : Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program.  Children of
families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals.  Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, which can be no more than 40 cents.
(U.S. Department of Agriculture (2005).  National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services.)

Forcible Rape : The carnal knowledge of a person, attempted or perpetrated by force or by threat of force, against that person’s will, or when a victim is mentally or physically incapable of giving consent.
(Federal Bureau of Investigation (2004).  Crime in the United States 2004: Forcible Rape.  U.S. Department of Justice.)

HIV/AIDS : HIV/AIDS stands for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.”  HIV disease is the pathogen that causes AIDS and encompasses all the condition’s stages, from infection to the deterioration of the immune system.  AIDS is the name that most people use to indicate the late stages of the disease caused by HIV.  An AIDS diagnosis is given to people with HIV who have counts below 200 T cells, which are the main target of HIV, or when they become diagnosed with at least one of a set of opportunistic diseases.  In 1995, new treatments (anti-retrovirals, or protease inhibitors) for HIV/AIDS were approved.  These therapies have prevented or delayed the onset of AIDS and premature death among HIV-infected persons.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2005).  National Center for Health Statistics Data Definitions.)

Live Birth Rate: A live birth is the product of conception, which, after separation from the mother, breathes or shows any other evidence of life such as heartbeat or movement of voluntary muscles.  Each product of such a birth is considered live born.  A birth rate is calculated by dividing the number of live births in a population in a year by the midyear resident population.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2005).  National Center for Health Statistics Data Definitions.)

Low Birth Rate: The percentage of live born babies who are born weighing less than 2,500 grams, or five and one-half pounds, at delivery.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2005).  National Center for Health Statistics Data Definitions.)

Medicare : The federal health insurance program for: people 65 years of age or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure with dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD).
(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2004).   Glossary Tool. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)

Medicaid : A jointly funded federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with low incomes and limited resources.  Medicaid programs vary from state to state, but most health care costs are covered if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.
(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (2004).   Glossary Tool. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)

Overweight/Obesity :  For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the “body mass index” (BMI).  An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.  An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2005).  National Center for Health Statistics Data Definitions.)

Poverty : As defined by the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), “poverty guidelines” issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services that are simplifications of poverty thresholds for administrative purposes.  The 2007 Federal Poverty Level is set at a household income of $10,210 for an individual and $20,650 for a family of four.
(U.S. Census Bureau.  (2005).  Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division.)

Race :  Shared interests, habits or characteristics held by persons, based on self-classification or on observation by an interviewer, that are, in this case, used to promote comparability of data among federal data systems.  These categories include American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and White.
(U.S. Census Bureau (2001). Questions and Answers for Census 2000 Data on Race.)

Refugee : Any person not a citizen or national of the United States (or “alien”) who is unable or unwilling to return to their country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution.  Persecution or fear thereof must be based on the person’s race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group, or political opinion.  Refugees are eligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status after one year of continuous presence in the U.S.
(U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (2004).  Glossary and Acronyms.)

Uninsured : Persons who do not have coverage under private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, public assistance, a State-sponsored health plan, other government-sponsored programs, or a military health plan.  Persons with only Indian Health Service coverage are considered uninsured.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2005).  National Center for Health Statistics Data Definitions.)


Related Links:
Miami-Dade County Community Health Report Card: Full Report
Miami-Dade County Living Healthy, Living Longer Survey: Full Report