How much does it matter? Developing a tool to help the public quantify the importance of social determinants of health

Objective: To develop a tool to help the public and policymakers appreciate how strongly mortality is associated with social determinants.

Methods: University researchers, a major foundation, a web developer, and a communication firm coupled epidemiological research with a methodical communication plan to produce a scientifically rigorous online tool that showcases the association between mortality and an area's income level and educational attainment. Biostatisticians developed a non-linear regression equation to run the tool, based on calculations derived from census data and vital statistics for more than 3,000 counties. The communications team designed a wire frame, a messaging strategy tailored to target audiences, and interactive web 2.0 and social media features.

Results: The tool, released in March 2011, will be demonstrated at the session. An interactive slider enables the user to select a county, state, or the country and to “change” the number of deaths that would occur in the area by assuming different rates for income or education. The user can compare geographic areas, export findings and share the tool through email and social media, and follow links to more detailed statistics and policy guidance about social determinants. Conclusions: Regression techniques can model the relationship between social determinants and health with sufficient precision to give the public a sense of magnitude about the association. Public health, communication, creative arts, and information technology can collaborate to produce engaging tools for the public that give relevance to scientific data.