Background: In July 2000, the Health Resources and Services Administration released the CHSI Reports for 3,082 U.S. counties. A broad spectrum of indicators from nationally available sources was included. These reports provide a baseline for the decade of the 1980s, a recent history of trend during a time of goal setting, and information for small areas across the U.S.
Methods: Rates, number of events, population and sub-population estimates were obtained or calculated using the same sources or methods for all counties. In addition, peer counties were determined using poverty level, density, population size, and age distribution. Users of the CHSI Reports can compare their county to their peers, the 1997 U.S. level, or national Healthy People 2010 targets.
Results: County status vis-à-vis various target levels is examined using selected death objectives to illustrate the variability across mortality rates. The following pertain to mortality: · Some counties' mortality indicators did not begin improvement during the past decade (1989-1998). · For those with a positive trend, some have bettered their peers, the Nation, or the Healthy People 2010 targets. · Another, more appropriate target must be developed for some counties because health improvement has surpassed all example targets.
Conclusions: Incremental health improvement metered by a "goal" to be reached in a specified amount of time is the basis for Healthy People 2010 and local health improvement strategies. Just how ready and how far county indicators are from usual targets vary across counties and indicators.
See www.communityhealth.hrsa.govLearning Objectives: Participants will be able to describe existing county momentum for health improvement, appropriate targets for benchmarking, and the state of county health in the US.
Keywords: Community Health, Methodology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: HRSA: Community Health Status Indicators Project
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.