1. Using and Interpreting Data Community Health Assessment Unit Office of Epidemiology

2. Learning to Speak Epi Understanding terms to understand what data represent Don’t need to be an expert Know basics so you know which data are appropriate for your use

3. Dispelling Data Myths All data by the same name is equal Rates and numbers can be used interchangeably Age adjustment is just epi mumbo jumbo Morbidity and Mortality are pretty much the same thing Birth rate and pregnancy rate are the same thing Small numbers can NEVER be used Really, these things matter, we’re not just being picky!

4. Review of common terms Community Health Assessment –A process of gathering and discussing information from multiple and diverse sources in order to develop a deep understanding of the health of a community. –The process culminates when assessment results are used to improve the health status of the community.

5. Common Terms continued Rate Frequency Prevalence Rate Incidence Rate Numerator Denominator

6. Making data meaningful Data in itself is really not so meaningful, it is the interpretation and putting it into a context that makes it relevant and meaningful.

7. Population and Service Data Population Users People Population Based Patients Utilization Encounters Visits Services

8. Same data, different analysis Data can be analyzed in a variety of ways Most commonly used –Age –Sex –Race –Ethnicity –By cause

9. A closer look at data we use all the time Population/ Demographic data from Census or Bureau of Business and Economic Research Birth and Death data (Vital records) from NM OVRHS Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (YRRS) and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from NM DOH, Office of Epidemiology Hospitalization In-patient Discharge Data (HIDD) from Health Policy Commission

10. Population and Demographic Data Most common source is Census or BBER Population based data Usually includes general characteristics of a population –Total count of people –Age distribution –Sex distribution –Education –Employment –Income –Languages spoken –Household characteristics –Family characteristics

11. Birth and Death Data Vital Records Includes data collected via birth and death certificates through the NM OVRHS There are standard ways of analyzing birth and death data

12. Birth Data Standard analyses of birth data Percent of live births with: –Low birth weight –Prenatal Care Began in 1 st Trimester –Age of mother –Education level of mother Fertility rate Birth rate Infant Mortality Rate

13. Death Data Standard analyses of death data Infant Mortality Rate Cause specific death rates Age specific death rates Age adjusted death rates Leading Causes of Death

14. Survey Data BRFSS and YRRS YRRS- school based survey, In schools that agreed to participate sample includes high school students who were present that day and class period BRFSS- telephone survey, sample includes people over 18 years with a land line phone

15. Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey

16. BRFSS County Level Data Counties must have at least 75 respondents. -Even with 75 respondents, there are limitations. When a county does not have 75 respondents in one year, two or more years of data can be combined. -Not all questions are asked every year.

17. BRFSS and Confidence Intervals

18. Confidence Intervals

19. Hospitalization In-Patient Discharge Data (HIDD) Includes data from non- federal hospitals in NM People admitted and discharged from hospital Death Hospitalization Ambulatory Not in any system

20. Trends, Trends, Trends What is a trend? How to know when to use trends? Using your context to determine data presentation

21. Trends within a population

22. Trends between populations

23. Small Numbers Concerns of the Epidemiologists Statistical Reliability Confidentiality Ways to Cope Aggregate time periods Aggregate populations Lose some detail Seek counsel with an Epidemiologist

24. Using Data to Tell Your Story Purpose of your story Know your audience Find a balance between tables, graphs, and text Save complex details for appendix

25. So, I know how to use it, where do I get it? Data you can access on your own Call a DOH Epidemiologist

26. Data you can access on your own Here are a few websites with data: http://wonder.cdc.gov CDC Wonderhttp://wonder.cdc.gov Query death data and links to many other data on the web http://dohewbs2.health.state.nm.us/VitalRec/New MICAhttp://dohewbs2.health.state.nm.us/VitalRec/ An interactive query system of birth and death data http://www.unm.edu/~bber/BBERhttp://www.unm.edu/~bber/ Population and demographic data http://www.health.state.nm.us NMDOHhttp://www.health.state.nm.us Reports and link to New MICA http://www.nmihi.comNM DOH IHIhttp://www.nmihi.com Query based health indicators http://factfinder.census.govU.S. Census Bureauhttp://factfinder.census.gov Data tables containing Census data

27. Call a DOH Epidemiologist DOH Epidemiologists District 1,Tom Scharman, 505-897-5700 District 2, Vacant (call Corazon Halasan) District 3,Lisa Roth-Edwards 505-528-5074 District 4,Sue Champagne 505-347-2409 Community Epidemiologist, Corazon Halasan, 505-476-3676 Tribal Epidemiologist, Dawn McCusker 505-476-3073 There are many other, topic specific epidemiologists at DOH that these people can refer you too if necessary You are NOT Alone