This study presents statistics concerning recent trends in the health care sector and detailed discussions of selected current health issues. The first part of this report consists of four chapters, each covering a current issue. Chapter one presents recent data on the health characteristics of minority groups in the U.S. Chapter two discusses the relationship between diet, nutrition, and health in the context of the Dietary Goals of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs. The third chapter reviews and analyzes the supply, training, and deployment of nonphysician health care providers in primary care. The last chapter describes a current program that is designed to improve medical technology assessment. The second half of this report is a statistical section organized around four themes: 1) health status and determinants, 2) utilization of health resources, 3) health care resources, and 4) health care expenditures. Strong interrelationships exist between different aspects of the health care system, and some of these interrelationships are examined in this report. (CJ)