Criollo, mestizo, mulato, LatiNegro, indigena, white, or black? The Hispanic/Latino population and multiple responses in the 2000 census

Current dialogues on changes in collecting race and ethnicity data have not considered the complexity of tabulating multiple race responses among Hisp anics. Racial and ethnic identification-and its public reporting-among Hisp anics/Latinos in the United States is embedded in dynamic social factors. i gnoring these factors leads to significant problems in interpreting data an d understanding the relationship of race, ethnicity, and health among Hispa nics/Latinos. In the flurry of activity to resolve challenges posed by mult iple race responses, we must remember the larger issue that looms in the fo reground-the tack of adequate estimates of mortality and health conditions affecting Hispanics/Latinos. The implications are deemed important because Hispanics/Latinos will become the largest minority group in the United Stat es within the next decade.