We are excited to announce the launch of the Whatcom Community Health Insights (WCHI) data platform, which lets community members track a range of public health data specifically about people living in Whatcom County. Topics include things like education, housing security, safety, air and water quality, and youth and adult quality of life.
This resource is intended to:
- Make data easily accessible.
- Assist in understanding the health and well-being of our community – both where there are community health challenges and disparities between groups of people and areas in which we are doing well.
- Support public health leaders, community members, community partners, and organizations in their health improvement efforts.
- Inform actions to enhance community health outcomes and reduce health disparities.
Focus on Health Equity
The WCHI platform provides population-level health data, separated by subpopulations whenever possible, such as race/ethnicity, age, and sex. These insights are intended to improve understanding of health disparities among subpopulations and help to advance equity.
The platform uses the Population Health Framework, adapted from the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings model. This framework demonstrates how various factors, or "determinants," affect health outcomes, including length and quality of life. These determinants are categorized into four areas: social and economic conditions, the physical environment, health behaviors, and health care.
Data Put into Context
In addition to the data, the platform features narratives that provide context on the importance of the data, along with links to relevant resources and community partners addressing health issues. It offers over 100 population health indicators sourced from more than 20 data sources.
The platform is not an assessment. It serves as a valuable tool for evaluating community health, supporting both general and focused assessments of specific health issues.
How the Platform Was Developed
The Whatcom County Health and Community Services Data Team developed this resource through a collaborative process involving over 40 local partners and organizations. Using the Results-based Accountability Framework, partners participated in multiple meetings to propose, refine, and provide feedback on potential indicators, dashboard development, and narratives.
Ongoing Efforts
The WCHI site is a living resource, with continuous updates planned to expand and refine the platform. The launch of this resource marks the completion of Phase One of the project. In Phase Two, we will focus on:
- Separating indicators by geography when data allows.
- Adding indicators on the quality of healthcare, the built environment, and the justice system.
- Separating behavioral risk factor indicators by sexual orientation and disability
- Updating the Healthy Youth Survey dashboards with 2023 data
We invite you to explore the Whatcom Community Health Insights data platform and join us in our ongoing efforts to understand community health and advance health equity.
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