The changing social and cultural dimensions of the US population have required innovative methodologies to fully understand the health of diverse communities. Whereas previous small and large-scale community surveys have contributed to our knowledge, national surveys provide novel opportunities to examine health disparities both in health and use of health services. The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has supported an agenda for health disparities research that examines differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions among specific populations in the United States.