Comparison of selected health indicators from the Children's Health Assessment & Planning Survey (CCHAPS) with two national US health surveys: NSCH and NHANES

Background
The Community-wide Children's Health Assessment & Planning Survey (CCHAPS) was developed to identify health, safety, and quality of life measures for use in six North Texas counties. In a broader context, these data allow comparison of North Texas, the state and nation. Two national surveys collect similar data on the health and well-being of children; the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Methods
Children were 0-14 years in all analyses. 16,183 children from the 2008 and 2012 CCHAPS surveys; 149,115 children from the 2007 and 2011 NSCH surveys and 3,302 children in the Texas NSCH subset; and 6937 children from the 2007 and 2009 NHANES surveys were analyzed. Twenty-three health measures and 6 demographics questions compared CCHAPS and each survey.
Results
Four questions were statistically similar between CCHAPS and the other surveys: Age, Gender, Medical Place, and Mental Illness. Between CCHAPS and NHANES there were also Smoking, Ear Infections, Physical Limitations, Current Asthma. Between CCHAPS and the Texas state NSCH there were 3 additional variables: Health Insurance Gap, Current Asthma, and Diabetes. Developmental Delay was also statistically similar between CCHAPS and the NSCH.
Conclusions
Statistically significant differences between local and national data were noted. The CCHAPS survey provides a local snapshot into health measures and healthcare delivery in North Texas. Further analysis into those health measures that were statistically different could elucidate the underlying reasons for the variances. Interpretation of these comparisons may identify variables most impactful on health policy.