The US Census Bureau counts people who are over 16 years old, out of work and able to work as unemployed. It does not include students, active duty military, retired people or people who have stopped looking for work.
Linguistic isolation is a term used by the US Census Bureau for limited English speaking households. More than 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home. About half of those do not speak English well or at all.
The US Census Bureau determines the Federal Poverty Level each year. The poverty level is based on the size of the household and the ages of family members. If a person or family’s total income before taxes is less than the poverty level, the person or family are considered in poverty.
Educational attainment is the highest level of education a person has completed. People with more education usually earn more than people with less education. In California, 19 percent of adults over 25 do not have a high school degree, compared to 14 percent for the United States.
Babies who weigh less than about five and a half pounds (2500 grams) at birth are considered low birth weight. Many factors, including poor nutrition, lack of prenatal care, stress and smoking by the mother, can increase the risk of having a low birth-weight baby.
Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. Symptoms include breathlessness, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. The causes of asthma are unknown but genetic and environmental factors can be involved. Five million Californians have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives. Asthma is the most common long-term disease in children. African Americans and people with low incomes visit hospitals for asthma more often than other groups.
Streams, rivers and lakes are used for recreation and fishing and may provide water for drinking or agriculture. When water is contaminated by pollutants, the water bodies are considered impaired. These impairments are related to the amount of pollution that has occurred in or near the water body. Groups such as tribal or low income communities may depend on fish, aquatic plants and wildlife in nearby water bodies more than the general population.
