Community level data capacity building: Supporting Community Based Organizations to Access and Utilize Data

Background: Data are needed to assess community resources and needs, secure funding for local initiatives, and build coalitions– all of which are important in describing social determinants and health status within communities.

Methods: To understand current knowledge and utilization of data by community-based organizations (CBOs) to address health disparities and the underlying social determinants of health, HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) sponsored an environmental scan of over 200 CBOs to learn how CBOs access, analyze, and utilize data to identify and implement evidence-based practices in their work to promote health equity. A subsequent curriculum and training was developed to provide support identified needs and conducted for CBOs throughout the United States.

Results: Through the scan, OMH learned only about a quarter of all CBOs can access all or almost all the data they need. Information on barriers and types of assistance needed was also collected as part of the scan. Training materials along with interactive sessions were designed to assist CBOs in accessing and utilizing data resources, and with the process of developing an appropriate research/policy questions; identifying the appropriate starting point to address the issue; determining and understanding the disparity and the social determinants of health that contribute to the disparity; identifying data gaps and strategies to address them; and weaving all pieces together to describe their communities.

Conclusions: This presentation will describe the CBO environmental scan and training developed to serve as resource for organizations to access and utilize data and develop evidence-based research-to potentially support policies at the local level.