When collecting and reporting population data, does the PI have to follow the OMB guidelines or can other terminology be used?
Population data reported to NIH must comply with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Directive 15 for reporting population data on race and ethnicity. However, discretion resides with the PI to design data collection instruments that are culturally sensitive and appropriate. The instruments should allow participants to self-identify his/her ethnicity and/or race; including the option to identify several racial categories. Therefore, the PI must aggregate the data into the OMB minimally required racial and ethnic categories before reporting it to NIH. For example, a PI may decide to include the term “Chicano” in their data collection instrument. The term “Spanish origin” can also be used in addition to “Hispanic, Latino or Chicano.” The investigator should determine the appropriate terms applicable for the target Hispanic population. (For example, the terms Chicano or Latino would be appropriate to use with California Mexican Americans but not Puerto Ricans). Before reporting the
