Study Objectives: Create peer counties based on county characteristics. Use peer counties for comparison in the Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) Project Health Status Reports. Methods: Community characteristics of being a frontier county, population size, poverty, age distribution, and population density formed strata, defining peer counties. County-specific health outcomes will be compared to peer values. Results: Reports were created for 3,082 U.S. counties or county aggregates (Area Resource File specifications). An algorithm was developed and eighty-eight strata created. Counties have an average of 34 peer counties based on county characteristics. Each county is provided the names of its peer counties in the CHSI Health Status Reports. Low and high peer values, expected number, based on peer experience, and a symbol indicating a favorable or unfavorable position compared to one's peers were provided to counties for deaths, births and infectious disease indicators. Discussion: The HRSA-funded, CHSI Project peer comparisons provided a useful first step for quantifying a normative level for health outcomes based on easy to obtain, readily understandable, and predictive community-level factors. For the first time, U. S. counties know how they compare to counties similar on specific county-level factors. Counties, states and federal government planners can begin using strata to problem solve, segment program targets, select representative small areas, and benchmark for objectives which may be sensitive to demographics. Identification of peers has made it possible for counties to examine factors other than health outcomes such as health care resources, use of preventive services, environmental factors, or vulnerable populations.
Learning Objectives: 1. List their county's peers and describe how they are similar. 2. Assess the use of peer comparisons for county health assessment. 3. Recognize various other comparisons which might be used. 4. Evaluate the use of peer, U.S., and Healthy People 2010 goals and objectives in improving community health inidcators. 5. Identify and find county profiles on the Internet
Keywords: Health Indices, Health Assessment
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Health Services and Resources Administration's Community Health Status Indicators Project health Status Reports
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: The Public Health Foundation receives a cooperative agreement from HRSA to construct and disseminate the Community Health Status Indicators Project Health Status Reports