Healthy Iowans 2010 County Geographic Maps: Providing Access to Information at the County Level

Healthy Iowans 2010 County Geographic Maps

Presented by: Ryan Dow, Dr. Louise Lex , John Warming

Healthy People 2010 is a set of objectives for the nation to achieve over the first decade of the new century (DHHS, 2008). Healthy Iowans 2010, companion to the national plan, was developed by 550 Iowans working in teams with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) as lead.

The Community Health Needs Assessment and Health Improvement Plans (CHNA/HIP) enable communities to assure the health of their citizens through the development of leading health indicators, health priorities, and health improvement plans (IDPH, 2005). Counties reported initial results in 2005, and followed with a 2007 mid-course report, highlighting their progress.

A challenge facing public health departments is the use of data-driven healthy objectives (Allison, Keifer, Weissman, 1999). IDPH, in conjunction with Des Moines University, created updated CHNA/HIP maps with CHNA/HIP information in a geographical format to make the information easily accessible to the public and public health professionals. The CHNA/HIP maps link local initiatives to Healthy Iowans 2010 chapters. In addition they provide contact information for responsible agencies, describe local reported initiative, and click able Web sites-- powerful tools for public health planners. This straightforward exchange of information facilitates planners by allowing location of successful initiatives in counties with similar social and demographic backgrounds.