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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The information provided in Arkansas Vital Statistics 1999 is an integral part in quantifying and
assessing progress made in the health status of Arkansas residents. Although acknowledging each
person connected with this publication is impractical, several individuals and organizations deserve
special recognition.
The Center for Health Statistics has primary responsibility for the analysis of birth, death, marriage,
divorce, and induced abortions data as well as for the preparation of Arkansas Vital Statistics 1999.
This report is prepared under the supervision of the Director of the Center for Health
Statistics, Douglas R. Murray. Paul Johnson, Senior Research Analyst, and Eileen Kelley, Project
Analyst, prepare the data for the report and generate the tables.
The Division of Vital Records (Sharon Leinbach, Director and State Registrar) is responsible for the
collection and registration of all vital events. The data compiled from these records are used to
produce this report.
Collaboration between colleagues in the Center for Health Statistics and the Division of Vital Records
is essential in providing accurate data. John Senner, Senior Research Analyst, works closely with
Steve Whisnant from Vital Records to verify fetal death information. Dorene Harris, Statistician for
the Center, does medical data quality assurance with input from Faye McLelland, Secretary. Grace
Carson, Records Management Analyst, Gene Brown, Assistant Director, and Vanessa Calamese, Data
Processing Supervisor, all from Vital Records, ensure that data corrections are made in a timely
manner. Our Documents Examiners perform a wide variety of duties. Laurie Luchsinger and Gloria
Conley assist with coding and keying cause of death from the death certificates. Rhonda Forte keys
in fetal death certificates as well as out-of-state death certificates. Charlotte Spencer keys the out-of-
state birth certificates. And Mary Richardson provides ongoing support in the editing process.
Charlotte Caldwell, Secretary, is responsible for keying induced abortion data and for distribution of
all reports.
The Division of Information Technology Services (Gerald Perkins, Director) provides the computer
facilities for data entry and management.
The United States Census Bureau provides the state population data that enable the calculation of
many of the rates in the report. Thanks also to Tsai Mei Lin of the Center for Health Statistics for her
work in providing population data for report production.
Most out-of-state occurrences of vital events to Arkansas residents are incorporated into this report
through inter-state exchange agreements; although marriage, divorce, and some induced abortion
data are not received from other states.
Comments and questions should be addressed to:
Eileen Kelley
Arkansas Department of Health
Center for Health Statistics - Slot 19
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205-3867
Phone: (501) 661-2003 Fax: (501) 661-2544
E-Mail: ekelley@healthyarkansas.com
This publication, along with others published by the Center for Health Statistics, is available on the
Internet at:
http://www.healthyarkansas.com/stats/data/data.html
Cover photo:Mellon's Country Store, Mountain View, Arkansas
A.C. Haralson, courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Cover design:John Hofheimer, Arkansas Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics
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