Sources for Local Public Health Data

Montana Public Health Association Annual Meeting

September 30, 2014

AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY (ACS)

American Community Survey

• Decennial Census– Conducted once every 10 years by the US Census

Bureau and is a point-in-time count• Provides an official count of the entire US population

for Congress

• American Community Survey– Conducted every year in a rolling sample design

by the US Census Bureau• Estimates the characteristics of how people live-

education, housing, income, disability, and more

American Community Survey• Gender• Age Race &Hispanic

Origin• Education• Marital Status• Fertility• Grandparent/Other

caregiver• Veteran Status

• Disability Status• Place of Birth• Citizenship Status• Year of Entry into the

US• Language Spoken at

Home• Ancestry/Tribal

Affiliation

American Community Survey• Income & Benefits• Employment Status• Occupation/Industry• Community to Work• Place of work/residence

• Housing Tenure• Housing Characteristics• Housing Values• Housing Taxes &

Insurance• Mortgage/Monthly Rent• Utilities

American Community Survey

Data collected between…

Data pooled to produce Data published for areas with

January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012

ACS 1-year estimates Year:2012

Populations of 65,000+

January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012

ACS 3-year estimates Year:2010-2012

Populations of 20,000+

January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012

ACS 5-year estimates Year:2008-2012

Populations of almost any size

American Community Survey

• Available Montana 1-year estimates– State– Counties• Cascade, Flathead, Gallatin, Missoula, Yellowstone

– Cities• Billings, Missoula

American Community Survey

• Available Montana 3-year estimates– State– Counties• Cascade, Flathead, Gallatin, Missoula, Yellowstone• Lake, Lewis & Clark, Ravalli, Silver Bow

– Cities• Billings, Missoula• Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell

American Community Survey

• Margin of error because survey is only a sample• Comparing data years– Do not compare overlapping years or different

combinations of years (1 year estimate with 3 year estimate)

• http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/comparing_data/

• www.factfinder2.census.gov

MONTANA CENTRAL TUMOR REGISTRY

Central Tumor Registry

• Registry for information on new cancer cases, cancer treatment, and cancer death– All health care facilities and providers must

report new cases per MT law– Have collected data since 1979, 95% of all

cancers recorded

Central Tumor Registry

• Data available on demographics, treatment information, cancer site and type, stage at diagnosis

• Easily compared with other states• Not duplicated• Limited on the level of information that can

be released to external parties

Central Tumor Registry

• Contact Laura Williamson, MPH– lwilliamson@mt.gov– 406-444-0064– http://

www.dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/cancer/datastatistics.shtml

STATE TRAUMA REGISTRY

State Trauma Registry

• Registry of severe injuries– Includes only those that activate the trauma

system• Excludes things like poisoning

• Reporting is voluntary, though quite complete

• Includes transfers to multiple hospitals– Report on number of hospitalizations, not

people

State Trauma Registry

• Data available on – Demographics– Mechanism of injury

• Other information available – Toxicology screen• Alcohol, controlled substances, prescription drugs

– Protective devices used• Seatbelt, helmet, PFD, protective clothing

State Trauma Registry

• Contact Luke Baertlein, MPH– lbaertlein@mt.gov– 406-444-4592

• WISQARS (data on injury and injury deaths)– http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/

VITAL STATISTICS

Death Data

• Data on all resident deaths and deaths that occurred in State– Cause of death: underlying vs. multiple causes– Location of residence(down to county)– Location of death(hospital, home, nursing home, or

other)– Demographic information– Did tobacco use contribute to death (yes, no,

probably, unknown)– Manner of death

Birth Data

• Data on all resident births– Parental characteristics– Location of birth (hospital, birthing center, home

ect)– Prenatal care– Smoking/alcohol during pregnancy– Method of delivery– Birth outcomes (weight, apgar, abnormal conditions)– Breastfeeding status at discharge

Accessing Vital Stats

• CDC Wonder – http://wonder.cdc.gov/

• Montana Vital Statistics Office– Carol Ballew, cballew@mt.gov, 406-444-6988– http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/epidemiology/

BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (BRFSS)

BRFSS

• Random Digit Dialed Telephone Survey• Data is available annually• Asks adults about chronic conditions and

health-related behaviors• State-Level Estimates are available at– www.brfss.mt.gov– www.cdc.gov/brfss/

SMART BRFSS

• Some counties in MT are oversampled to get direct county level estimates– See SMART Data Query on www.brfss.mt.gov to

see which counties have data available

Small Area Estimation

• Use population characteristics & statistics magic to get estimates at the county level

• Currently available for:– Diabetes– Obesity– Physical Inactivity

http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/atlas/countydata/atlas.html

BRFSS Questions

• Contact Emily Ehrlich– eehrlich@mt.gov– 406-444-2973

YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

YRBS

• School-based survey of high school students• Done every two year• Asks youth about:– Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use– Sexual behavior– Nutrition and physical activity– Injury and violence

YRBS

• http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm

• Montana YRBS Coordinator: Susan Court, OPI– scourt@mt.gov– (406) 444-3178

COUNTY HEALTH RANKINGS

County Health Rankings• Developed by Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation• Use a variety of data sources– BRFSS small area estimation– ACS– Vital Statistics– Many more

• Ranks should be interpreted with caution

County Health Rankings• Have county level estimates of– Health Outcomes• Length of Life• Quality of Life

– Health Factors• Clinical Care• Health Behaviors• Social & Economic Factors• Physical Environment

http://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Let’s Practice!

• What is the overall prevalence of disability in Yellowstone county?

• How many deaths due to diabetes occurred in 2010 among Cascade County residents?

• What percent of Montana adults are current cigarette smokers?

Let’s Practice!

• What is the overall prevalence of disability in Yellowstone county? – ACS 2013 1-year estimate 15.4%

• How many deaths due to diabetes occurred in 2010 among Cascade County residents?– 21

• What percent of Montana adults are current cigarette smokers?– 2012 estimate 19.7%