The Health Information Tennessee (HIT) Web site (server.to/hit) uses the Internet as the chosen medium for customized data analysis, allowing users immediate access to alcohol-and-drug(AOD)-related mortality and fertility data, adult and youth random sample AOD survey results, population estimates, and nursing home, hospital and school data for population-based needs assessment. HIT incorporates Statistical Profiling of Tennessee or SPOT, which employs Common Gateway Interface (CGI) to allow the user to query Tennessee health data bases in such a way that personalized charts and tables can be produced upon demand, interactively. The requested information is calculated at the moment the query is submitted by a self-modifying SAS program residing on a server computer at The University of Tennessee. Using HIT and SPOT, data can be analyzed by age, sex, race, poverty status, and residence to yield comprehensive profiles of AOD-related health exposures, risk and need for treatment and prevention services in Tennessee. The local burden of AOD-related illness and injury can be displayed as simple data tables, bar or pie charts, plots, or shaded maps at county, regional and statewide levels. Interactive GIS capabilities on the Web site (HIT MAPMAKER) enable customized thematic mapping of data, overlaying such background features as cities and towns, alcohol and drug treatment facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, rivers and roads. Site users can create, view, alter, download, and print maps. Data from SPOT can be transferred to HIT MAPMAKER to produce age-sex-race and region-specific maps of mortality/morbidity data, mapped in relation to multiple background features.
Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the functionality of interactive customized querying of alcohol and other drug (AOD) data through the Health Information Tennessee (HIT) Web site. 2. Learn to use HIT's interactive mapping and data charting, plotting, trending and listing for AOD research. 3. Assess the need for AOD services using this innovative Web site
Keywords: Information Technology, Community Health Planning
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.