geographic area, and relationships between the thresholds that
A Grateful Student
do not always make sense.
There has been congressional pressure (dating back to the 1980s)
to broaden the definition of resources. Research efforts include a mid-
Honors His Mentor
1990s National Academy of Sciences report, a 2006 report on the
effect of taxes and transfers on income and poverty, and the 2007
Ron Wasserstein, ASA Executive Director
release of online Current Population Survey data that allow users to
vary income and thresholds to see the effect on poverty levels. For
example, broadening the definition of resources reduces income
S
ome 70 years ago,
inequality and changes the view of who is in poverty. It also would
Samuel Wilks
affect programs designed to alleviate poverty. Sources of poverty
changed the life
data include the Current Population Survey, American Community
of a young PhD stu-
Survey, Survey of Income and Program Participation, and Small Area
dent. Now that student
Income and Poverty Estimates—each with its own advantages. The
is honoring Wilks’
Current Population Survey provides excellent data on long-term and
memory with a gener-
year-to-year trends; the American Community Survey, with its large
ous gift.
sample, will provide small-area period estimates; the Survey of Income
Alex Mood, a retired
and Program Participation is based on the most detailed questions and
statistics professor,
examines poverty transitions; and the Small Area Income and Poverty
gave $30,000 to the
Estimates provide single-year estimates for small geographic areas.
American Statistical
Turning to health insurance, Nelson explained that Current
Association to add a
Population Survey data derive from questions added in 1980. The
second cash honorari-
original emphasis was on persons receiving benefits, but much of the
um to the annual Wilks
Alexander Mood and his wife, Marian focus has shifted to health insurance coverage. Coverage is defined
Memorial Medal. His
by a series of questions about various types of insurance—with “no
gift will add $840 to
coverage” being defined as a “no” answer to all these questions and
the award in 2008, with an annual increase of 3% each
response to a verification question to confirm absence of any cov-
subsequent year.
erage. Measurement issues include health insurance coverage not
“I went to Princeton expecting to write a PhD thesis in
being a Current Population Survey focus—the coverage questions
algebra,” Mood said recently during a conversation with ASA
come after a long set of income questions, and respondent recall on
Executive Director Ron Wasserstein in Mood’s California
this item is considered less than ideal. By counting coverage at any
home. “But I took a course in statistics from Wilks, and it
time during the year, the Current Population Survey overstates cov-
fascinated me. I abandoned algebra and went into statistics.”
erage relative to the Survey of Income and Program Participation,
Mood and Wilks hit it off immediately. “We got along
and coverage by Medicaid and other public programs is known to
famously,” Mood said. Wilks put his new student to work ref-
be under-reported. Research efforts include questionnaire research
ereeing manuscripts for the Annals of Mathematics Statistics,
and the matching of Current Population Survey records to admin-
of which Wilks was editor. Mood went on to write his PhD
istrative data. Sources of health insurance data include Current
thesis under Wilks’ guidance and earned the degree in 1940.
Population Survey, Survey of Income and Program Participation,
When he joined the faculty at Iowa State University in
American Community Survey (which is adding questions in 2008)
1946, Mood was asked to teach a course on mathematical
and experimental estimates for states and counties from the Small
statistics. There was no good textbook for such a course, so
Area Health Insurance Estimates program.
he decided to write one. His Introduction to the Theory of
Nelson finished with a look at disability data, which are derived
Statistics was published in 1950, and later editions included
from six types of activity limitations described in American
coauthors Franklin Graybill and Duane Boes. It became
Community Survey questions. A “yes” response to any of these
quite popular. Part of the book depended heavily on the
questions qualifies a respondent as having a disability. Disabilities
notes Mood had written when he took Wilks’ course. Wilks
are defined as long-lasting sensory, physical, mental, or emotional
had a printed set of notes that would have made a good
conditions that make it difficult for a person to do functional or
textbook, but he was a perfectionist. It wasn’t until 1962
participatory activities, such as climbing stairs, dressing, going out-
that he had a manuscript he was willing to publish. “So,
side the home, or working at a job. Measurement issues include
I collected all those royalties that Wilks could have had,”
the use of an umbrella term for a diverse population and respon-
Mood said with a smile.
dent sensitivity to question wording. Research includes American
Mood noted the important role of a mentor in the life of a
Community Survey content tests in 2006, changes in disability
student, expressing gratitude for Wilks’ impact on his career.
questions proposed by an interagency committee, and adoption
He retired in 1975 from the University of California-Irvine.
for the 2008 American Community Survey. Sources of disabil-
His career also included service at The University of Texas,
ity data include Survey of Income and Program Participation,
Iowa State University, UCLA, RAND Corporation, and the
American Community Survey, National Health Interview Survey,
federal government, where he was an assistant commissioner
and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. In the future, the Current
in the U.S. Office of Education. He also worked for a few
Population Survey may provide monthly or quarterly estimates of
years as the head of a consulting firm he founded.
employment rates for persons with disabilities. n
24 AMSTAT NEWS MARCH 2008
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