The social and health characteristics of California cities.

This DataWatch presents information from nationally recognized sources on sociodemographic characteristics, crime, and hospitals for the sixteen largest cities in California. Recognizing that effective health system changes will require attention to these critical issues, the report identifies their status in a single year and documents changes since 1980. It also provides comparisons among these cities and for the 100 largest U.S. cities. Synthesis of information indicates a wide range in status among these cities for most characteristics but concludes that, on a number of specific measures, the largest California cities have lost ground compared with their U.S. city counterparts.