New health survey data goes live
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The University of Arkansas on Tuesday launched an online dashboard where the public can see detailed health-related data for the whole state.
Why it matters: Arkansas struggles with poor health outcomes, and the data can help lawmakers make informed policy decisions to improve Arkansans' health, Arkansas Health Survey lead researcher Michael Niño told Axios in February during an event to preview the survey.
- It can also enable the state or organizations to receive grant money to address specific health-related issues, he said.
Zoom in: The dashboard has data down to census tracts, providing detailed information on neighborhoods instead of only statewide or by county.
- It includes demographic information like ages and household income, patterns like depression and tobacco use, and rates of conditions like heart disease and cancer. Users will also find the rate of children living with single parents, how many people saw a doctor within the past year, and the proportion of the population that has internet access.
What they're saying: "We know that disparities exist, but we haven't always had the kind of data to understand exactly where these disparities are or how they correlate with other disparities at the local level. The Arkansas Health Survey changes that," Brian Raines, dean of the university's Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, said at the February event.
What they did: The researchers surveyed about 10,000 adults statewide online and by phone.