Web-Based Interface for Public Health, Built Environment and Socioeconomic Data to Improve Health Outcomes

BACKGROUND:  Health is influenced by multiple factors beyond access to health care.  The design of our neighborhoods, our education and income, among other factors all influence our opportunities for good health.  The Harris County Healthy Communities database contains both public health and built environment data integrated into a web-based interface.  The database was developed in partnership with our regional metropolitan planning organization, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC).  The project aimed to integrate public health data, such as chronic disease and mortality rates, with non-health data such as access to parks/green spaces, recreational facilities, grocery stores (i.e., healthy food) and, public transportation, among others.  The database also incorporates social factors known to influence health such as race/ethnicity, poverty and education.

METHODS:  The short-term vision for the database was twofold.  One objective was to raise awareness among community stakeholders of the relationship between the built environment, social determinants of health and health outcomes.  The second objective was to develop a tool that would enable a variety of end users (e.g., agencies, residents, etc.) to query health and non-health data and perform basic analyses about neighborhoods within Harris County.  For example, a resident interested in advocating for a new park would be able to use the database to demonstrate that their community access to parks is limited and is also experiencing high rates of overweight/obesity.  Likewise, a local health department could use the database to identify health disparities by identifying which communities have elevated rates of overweight/obesity and lacks adequate access to public transportation and parks, to use this information to support recommendations that infrastructure funding should be prioritized for improvements within these communities.

RESULTS: The findings from this capacity building experience with the Applied Chronic Disease Epidemiology Mentoring program will be shared during the poster presentation.

CONCLUSIONS:  Participating in a project focused competency building program has enabled us to achieve our objectives.