The monitoring of racial/ethnic status in the USA: data quality issues.

This paper reviews the assessment of racial and ethnic identification in the major data collection systems of the US Department of Health and Human Services. It evaluates the quality of the available data and outlines recommendations for improving the collection of racial data and enhancing our understanding of the role of race in health. Special attention is also given to the role of socioeceonomic status in understanding racial differences in health and the assessment of racial status in data systems in the UK.