Improving access to health indicator data in order to best serve the health needs of South Carolinians

Issue


Understanding the health profile of a community is challenging, but the information is crucial when state health officials are planning programs and services aimed at improving the health of communities. To obtain this profile, public health agencies use health indicator data. Health indicator data describe the characteristics of a specific population. It is important to have quick access to this type of data as it provides a snapshot of a community's current state of health.

Unfortunately one cannot access to this type of data by simply visiting a central location on the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control's (DHEC) website. Historically, this sort of data has been housed in many different locations throughout the website. Most importantly, when people access some data they will find that they can only access information by region and not by county. Compared to other states, South Carolina is far behind in providing access to indicator data.

Intervention


This project aimed to provide communities in South Carolina with quick access to these health indicators. The Office of Public Health Practice (OPHP) at the University of South Carolina and DHEC worked together to make this information accessible. An Epidemiology graduate assistant (Kelly Johnson, MPH) was placed by OPHP as a SAS Programmer in the Biostatistics division at DHEC. With the help of the staff in this division, he created a location on the DHEC Biostatistics division's website that allows anyone quick access to health indicator data, such as leading causes of death sorted by age group and county.

When visiting the website people can access the following types of data:

  • Access to Health Services
  • Use of Clinical Preventive Services
  • Infectious and Chronic Diseases
  • Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
  • Tobacco
  • Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Impact


The results of this work has been extremely beneficial to communities who have received funding from the Community Transformation Grant (CTG), funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the objective to improve the health and wellness of their community. Specifically, eight communities in South Carolina that have been awarded funds from CTG have accessed this data. The information they were able to access is allowing them to develop programs, services, and strategies that focus on:

  • Tobacco-free living
  • Active living and healthy eating
  • High-impact quality clinical and other preventive services to prevent and control high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
  • Disease prevention
  • Health promotion
  • Healthy and safe physical environments.

By using the information coming out of the health indicator data, communities will be able to develop programs and services that focus on the particular needs of a community and thus be more impactful on their health.

Contact:


Kelly Johnson, PhD(c), MPH
Biostatistics Division
SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
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