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Using grades to effectively communicate health and health disparity in Wisconsin
METHODS: To assign health and health disparity grades the population was divided into four age groups: infants (<1), children and young adults (5-24), working age adults (25-64), and older adults (≥65). The health grade for each age group is a combination of length of life (age-adjusted mortality rates) and quality of life (unhealthy days) measures calculated relative to other states. The life-stage groups are further divided into demographic subgroups by gender, geography, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity. The health disparity grade is based on the difference in the health of these subgroups relative to highest performing subgroup within each age group.
RESULTS: In 2013, Wisconsin received a grade of B- for health and a substandard D for health disparity. Wisconsin receives a grade of C for working-age adult health disparity, but a D for the other age groups. Wisconsin receives 24 subgroup grades of D or F mostly concentrated among urban counties, African Americans, Native Americans, and those with a high school diploma or less.
CONCLUSIONS: Health disparities exist across all age groups in Wisconsin. Letter grades, which are easy to communicate and understand, help gain the attention of media outlets and policy makers. However, communication is only the first step. Interest in the grades must be turned into action to reduce disparity and improve the health of all residents.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related researchLearning Objectives:
Identify a useful communication tool for public health workers to use in discussing health disparity with others outside the field, such as policymakers.
Describe a method for quantifying the impact of health disparities within a state.
Learn about a way to visually portray the impact of improvements in the health of population subgroups on the overall health of an entire population.
Keyword(s): Health Disparities/Inequities, Communication
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was a co-author on the 2010 Health of Wisconsin Report Card and the first author on the 2013 Health of Wisconsin Report Card. Some of my main research interests are in measuring health disparities and figuring out how to communicate them with others outside of public health to work to reduce them.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.