Community HealthView Updates

What is Community HealthView?

HealthLandscape’s Community HealthView tool enables users to search a database to find publicly-available datasets and map them by state or county. Users can customize the way their data are displayed with different options for color scheme, palette, number of categories, and distribution. Current major datasets include Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) rates and measures; American Community Survey (ACS); Area Resource File (ARF); Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS); CDC Wonder; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rates, costs, and utilization; Dartmouth Atlas; Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE); National Cancer Institute State Cancer Profiles; Robert Wood Johnson Ranked Measures; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Environment Atlas.

American Community Survey (2010-2014)

The ACS is an annual survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to capture current information on Americans and the workforce. The most recent five-year estimates (2010-2014) are now available in Community HealthView. These datasets include demographic,  socioeconomic, and housing information, such as age, race, education, family type, employment, income, language, age of housing structures, and housing without plumbing, among many others.

CMS Multiple Chronic Conditions (2014)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services releases yearly updates to their multiple chronic conditions data. HealthLandscape updated the latest 2014 CMS data release in 2016 to Community HealthView. These data include disease prevalence and Medicare utilization and spending for multiple chronic conditions. Each of these data sets includes statistics for all Medicare beneficiaries, those less than 65, and those 65 and over.

CMS Chronic Conditions (2014)

Another set of data that CMS releases annually is the chronic conditions dataset. These data show the percentage of various conditions by Medicare beneficiary age group (total, less than 65 years, 65 and over). The data describe the percent of these Medicare beneficiaries by county with conditions such as arthritis, cancer, depression, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, stroke, among others. These data were updated in 2016 for data year 2014.

CMS Geographic Variation (2014)

The third CMS related dataset that HealthLandscape has recently updated in Community HealthView is the 2014 Geographic Variation data. These data provide a spatial background on the distribution of various healthcare services that CMS recipients receive across the United States. Each indicator is represented as a cost and percent utilization. Some of these data include imaging, hospice care, outpatient dialysis, tests, emergency department visits, durable medical equipment, and Medicare Part B costs and utilization.

Health Indicators Warehouse (2011-2013; 2009-2013)

The Health Indicators Warehouse (HIW) releases data by single- or multiple-year on an annual basis. HealthLandscape has updated Community HealthView with the 2013 HIW prevalence data for several datasets for aggregate data years, 2011-2013, and where applicable, 2009-2013 aggregates. HIW data have been updated for several indicators including cancer and heart disease deaths, years of potential life lost, and infant mortality.

Looking forward

In the coming months, HealthLandscape will be updating Community HealthView with many more datasets that haven’t been updated in several years. Some of these will include data on 2014 Supplemental Security Income Recipients, the 2010 USDA Food Deserts, 2010-2012 HIV Prevalence from HIW, 2010-2011 Internal Revenue Service Migration Data, 2015 Census Population Estimates, and the 2016 Robert Wood Johnson Ranked and Additional Measures data.

For live updates on what will be updated next, follow us on Twitter!

David Grolling

GIS Specialist

HealthLandscape

Comparing Levels of Social-Emotional Support with Suicide Rates in Greater Cincinnati

In recognition of National Prevention Week, we are drawing attention to health issues related to substance abuse and prevention. National Prevention Week is an annual health observance designed to increase public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. This year's theme is: "Your voice. Your choice. Make a difference."

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects state data about U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. Persons 18 years of age and older are contacted via telephone and surveyed using a standard core questionnaire, and may be asked additional optional or state-specific questions.

The map below is based on the BRFSS question: "How often do you get the social and emotional support you need?" Persons were considered to be receiving sufficient emotional/social support if they reported getting social/emotional support all or most of the time. Darker shading represents higher levels of social/emotional support. (Data is from 2006-2010.)

The second map shows the number of deaths due to suicide per 100,000 population (2005-2009). Data is from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). In the United States, decisions about whether deaths are listed as suicides on death certificates are usually made by a coroner or medical examiner. The definition of suicide is "death arising from an act inflicted upon oneself with the intent to kill oneself."

What questions come to mind when you compare the two maps? Could there be some relationship between the level of social/emotional support and the number of deaths due to suicide? Post a comment below to join the conversation. 

Additional BRFSS and NVSS data is available using the Community HealthView tool in HealthLandscape. Go to www.HealthLandscape.org to register for a free account or to sign up for a free "Introduction to HealthLandscape" webinar.

Mapping Binge Drinking in the Cincinnati Region

In recognition of National Prevention Week, we are drawing attention to health issues related to substance abuse and prevention. National Prevention Week is an annual health observance designed to increase public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. This year's theme is: "Your voice. Your choice. Make a difference."

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) publishes the locations of substance abuse and mental health treatment centers. We have incorporated a SAMHSA Facility Mapper tool into HealthLandscape to help individuals and community agencies locate treatment centers, and to enable agencies to overlay SAMHSA site data with other population characteristics in their region.

For example, the map below shows SAMHSA facilities in Greater Cincinnati. The legend identifies whether the facility's focus is on substance abuse, mental health and substance abuse (some mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety can also occur in people who abuse alcohol), or some other form of treatment.

Basic information about each center (name, address, type of care, web site if available, and form of payment assistance) is shown in the tooltip, which appears when you click on one of the site locators.

The map also shows rates of binge drinking among adults 18 years of age and older in Greater Cincinnati who responded to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) question: "Considering all types of alcoholic beverages, how many times during the past 30 days did you have [5 for men, 4 for women] or more drinks on an occasion?"

HealthLandscape has data for SAMHSA facilities nationwide. To access the SAMHSA Facility Mapper:

1. Log on to www.HealthLandscape.org (registration is free).
2. Select SAMHSA Facility Mapper under the Tools menu.
3. Use the Zoom feature to locate a facility in your area of interest.

Are there collaborative efforts in your community to address alcohol abuse and dependence issues? How are you using data to advance your mission? Post a comment below to join the conversation.