Using multiple data sources to develop a community health improvement plan Jennifer Evertsen, M.S., Linda Walter, M.S., and Jennifer Kroll, B.A. University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Center for Urban Population Health, Washington County Health Department
Purpose
Even when facilitated by local health departments, it is difficult for organizations and community members to assess the health of their community. Difficulties often arise because the majority of health status reports focus specifically on state or national level data.
Objective
To develop a report that can be easily updated and disseminated to a wideaudience summarizing community health status indicators overtime and comparing these indicators to state 5-year averages and Federal Healthy People 2010 goals.
Methods
This report is a compilation of county-level data sources using local, state, and national data sets. It is a summary of data points overtime presented in a user-friendly format by color-coding indicators that have met or exceeded the Healthy People 2010 goal or the Wisconsin 5 year averages.
Sampling of Data Sources used:
• Aurora Community Health Survey • WISKIDS Count Project • UW Population Health, Wisconsin County Health Rankings • Wisconsin Department of Transportation Alcohol Traffic Facts • Wisconsin Bureau of Health Information (BHIP), WISH data • Burden of Asthma in Wisconsin Report • County level communicable disease data • Wisconsin Vital Records • US Census Bureau Fact Finder
Results
An important aspect of this report is to compare county level health data to national or state 2010 goals whenever possible. At a glace, the reader can quickly and easily identify the areas in which the county is achieving the Federal Healthy People 2010 goal (highlighted in yellow), doing better then the State of Wisconsin’s 5-year averages (highlighted in blue) or exceeding both (highlighted in green).
Ce n te r fo r U r b an Po pu l at i o n H e al t h Working together to improve the health of communities
Results cont.
This report utilizes over 10 different data sources and can easily be updated when new data becomes available.
Health Indicators
• Access to Primary and Preventative Services • Adequate and Appropriate Nutrition • Alcohol and Substance Use and Addiction • Environmental and Occupational Health Hazards • Existing, Emerging and Re-emerging Communicable Diseases • High Risk Sexual Behavior • Intentional and Unintentional Injuries and Violence • Mental Health and Mental Disorders • Overweight, Obese and Lack of Physical Activity • Social and Economic Factors that Influence Health • Tobacco Use and Exposure This report has been developed for four county health departments to establish health priorities, to assess improvements in health indicators overtime and to communicate the health status of the community with policy makers and community organizations (i.e. YMCA, churches, hospitals, etc.).
Strengths
• Can easily be updated as new information becomes available • Can easily summarize health indicators overtime • Provides a snapshot of the health of the community • Is easy enough to understand by all community members
Conclusion
This reporting format compiles a number of local, state, and national data sets in one userfriendly format that can easily be updated as additional data becomes available. It provides local organizations with a snapshot of the community’s health status overtime.
Indicator Total Population
1
A. Access to Primary and 2 Personally not insured 2 Medical check-up (2 years or less) 2 Dental check-up (past year) 2 Vision check-up (past year) 2 Pneumonia vaccine (ever, 65+) Flu vaccine (past year) 2 Flu vaccine (past year; 65+) Did not receive needed health care 2 Cholesterol Screening (past 5 years) Children meeting Immunization 1 Requirements
2000 119,705
Washington 2003 2005 122,393 125,940
2008 129,346
Wisconsin
Healthy People 2010
5,538,132
N/A
4%
6%
3%
2%
10%
0%
85%
82%
84%
86%
83%
N/A
69%
76%
76%
78%
75%
56%
39%
52%
41%
49%
N/A
N/A
61%
65%
61%
68%
69%
90%
37%
30%
16%
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A N/A
71% 2%
40% 2%
67% 3%
73% 2%
90% 7%
N/A
82%
82%
81%
74%
80%
99%
99%
99%
99.6%**
96%
N/A
Additional Information: Please contact Jennifer Evertsen at
[email protected] or 414-219-5594
X37340 (07/09) ©AHC
