Which secondary data source provides enumeration of the population every 10 years and collects data on race, age, income, and more?

• A. U.S. Census
• B. Vital Statistics Report
• C. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
• D. Hospital discharge data

Answer: (A)

The main idea is identifying a data source that provides a nationwide population count at fixed intervals along with key demographic details. The United States Census is designed to enumerate every resident every ten years, creating the official count of the population. It collects fundamental demographic characteristics such as age and race, which are essential for planning and public health analysis. While income and more detailed socioeconomic data are collected by the American Community Survey (ACS) as part of ongoing updates between censuses, the decennial census itself is the definitive nationwide enumeration every decade and includes basic demographic attributes. The other options serve different purposes: vital statistics reports track births and deaths, MMWR covers disease surveillance, and hospital discharge data come from patient records—none provide the comprehensive, decennial population enumeration.