Tools and Resources for Understanding Community Health
Mission
Vision
National Coverage
Provides health data for nearly every county in the United States
Key metrics tracked:
flowchart TB
A[Health Outcomes<br/>50%] --> B[Length of Life<br/>50%]
A --> C[Quality of Life<br/>50%]
D[Health Factors<br/>50%] --> E[Health Behaviors<br/>30%]
D --> F[Clinical Care<br/>20%]
D --> G[Social & Economic<br/>40%]
D --> H[Physical Environment<br/>10%]
I[Policies & Programs] --> D
style A fill:#ff69b4
style D fill:#008080
style I fill:#dda15e
Data & Reports
Evidence Base
Tools & Training
Website: www.countyhealthrankings.org
The nation’s premier health survey system
Coverage
All 50 states, DC, and 3 US territories
Survey method:
Frequency:
Chronic conditions
Health behaviors
Preventive services
Emerging issues
Website: www.cdc.gov/brfss
Overview
Mission
Key responsibilities:
Website: www.who.int/data/#dashboards
Global Health Observatory (GHO)
Data portals:
Best for:
Example uses:
Overview
Mission
Major centers:
Major surveillance systems:
Data portals:
CDC WONDER:
Best for:
CDC/ATSDR tool
Helps identify communities that need support before, during, and after hazardous events
Based on US Census data
Purpose
Measure community resilience to stressors
graph TB
A[Social Vulnerability Index] --> B[Socioeconomic Status]
A --> C[Household Composition<br/>& Disability]
A --> D[Minority Status<br/>& Language]
A --> E[Housing Type<br/>& Transportation]
B --> F[Poverty, unemployment,<br/>education, no health insurance]
C --> G[Age, single parents,<br/>disability status]
D --> H[Minority populations,<br/>limited English]
E --> I[Multi-unit housing,<br/>mobile homes, crowding,<br/>no vehicle]
style A fill:#ff69b4
style B fill:#008080
style C fill:#008080
style D fill:#008080
style E fill:#008080
Website: www.atsdr.cdc.gov/placeandhealth/svi
Applications:
Geography:
Purpose
Data sources:
Definition
Low-income census tract where significant share of residents is far from a supermarket
Distance thresholds: - Urban: > 1 mile from supermarket - Rural: > 10 miles from supermarket
Income criteria: - Poverty rate ≥ 20%, OR - Median family income ≤ 80% of area median
Website: www.ers.usda.gov/foodatlas
Key indicators:
University of Washington research center
Known for
Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study
Major projects:
Website: www.healthdata.org
Tools:
Geographic levels:
What is CMS?
Data utility:
Data.CMS.gov offers:
Available geographies:
Privacy protection
Small cell sizes suppressed to protect beneficiary privacy
State-level data:
Local health departments:
Advantages:
Website: www.health.pa.gov
Key resources:
Web-based demographics platform
Primary source
US Census Bureau data
Data available:
Typical workflow:
Access: Many universities provide subscriptions
| Research Question | Best Data Source |
|---|---|
| How does my county rank on health outcomes? | CHR&R |
| What % of adults smoke in my state? | BRFSS |
| Which neighborhoods are most vulnerable? | SVI |
| Where are food deserts located? | Food Atlas |
| What is disease burden in my county? | IHME |
| Compare US health to other countries? | WHO |
| US mortality rates by cause? | CDC WONDER |
| Medicare spending patterns? | CMS |
| Detailed demographics of a ZIP code? | Social Explorer |
Practice using these tools:
Remember: Different sources provide complementary perspectives
Resources mentioned today:
POPH 001 | Spring 2026
Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)